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2008.08.09 23:33 Reddit Serbia
Dobro došli na Serbia, najveći srpski kutak na Redditu. Upoznajte zemlju fascinantne prirode, dobrog provoda i još boljih ljudi. ///// Welcome to serbia, the largest Serbian community on Reddit. Explore a country of incredible nature, great parties and even better people.
2009.07.15 00:01 Everything about Chihuahuas
A subreddit all about Chihuahuas. These little dogs get into your heart. Chihuahuas are not an accessory. Let's break the stereotype.
2012.09.07 13:34 Get Disciplined!
Help others attain self-discipline, by sharing what helps you. Meet your goals and improve your life, reddit style!
2024.05.19 12:28 SeekingHealth78 Help and Advice Sought if possible (UK)
Hello
Could I get some advice and guidance on what all these tests might mean and what I need to learn and know should my Endocrinologist head down the route of TRT, which is where she has indicated over the past couple of months whilst doing tests?
I apologise for the length, but I have tried to cover it as much as possible, as I accept nothing is simple. If more information is needed that I have missed, please ask.
Thanks
Stats
I was overweight for a good 20 years; we think this was when my thyroid started causing issues, and it took many years for the NHS to even consider that a problem. I also had no morning erections for a good ten years. I honestly cannot remember the last time I felt hungry, and that was after either an hour of weight lifting or hiking for a full day in the Austrian Alps (the longest one was a 10km round trip and a 1200m climb and then descent).
It took several years to sort the thyroid, and I was still unable to lose weight, although other things had resolved themselves. My GP refused to investigate further, saying simply I was too young. Plus, back in 2019, my Testosterone level was 17.1nmol/L, and now it is down to 7.5, and apart from being a few years older, nothing else has changed weight-wise or fitness, etc. I have had many Covid jabs as my father was extremely vulnerable, and I was his carer.
I am now under a different GP practice that started from scratch and said that, in their opinion, something underlying was causing the myriad of symptoms. They started testing and thought she knew what was wrong. It was agreed that, in computer terms, there was a tick box that needed ticking, but finding which one would take time.
However, their final idea saw her ask for guidance from Endocrinology; they said to do nothing and that they would take over. This was in 2023. However, Testosterone issues are an ultra-low priority in my area, so my expected appointment is in 2025.
For the past few months, I have seen an Endocrinologist privately with the agreement of my GP, who has done all the requested tests and agreed that if any prescriptions are needed, they will do it.
In addition to the above, dieticians have cleared me, having seen them privately and on the NHS.
I spent a year with a personal trainer at a bodybuilder gym, working out with him three times a week with no results and stopped through no results but with growing mental and physical fatigue. Walking 10,000 steps a day is not a problem for me.
I have had this all on hold for a while, what with COVID-19 and then a relative's very poor health. It is now time to focus back on myself, I think. I sleep a good 8 hours a night and get up feeling worse than going to bed – although randomly, I do have bouts of insomnia.
As mentioned to my GP and Endocrinologist, I have no problem putting in the hard work at the gym, but when that hard work does absolutely nothing for muscle mass or body shape, etc., it gets very depressing. I guess that does give me one direct question: How long do I need to leave it before going back if my Endocrinologist prescribes TRT—do I need to let my body recover a bit before stressing it by doing weights, etc.?
Tests (Using UK NHS Scales)
Testosterone has been done now 6 or 7 times, always within 0.2 or below and always done between 08:50 and 09:10 in the morning.
In addition, she requested an ultrasound, and the results came back as 29mm AP diameter and 19mm AP diameter, respectively, for the testes.
submitted by SeekingHealth78 to Testosterone [link] [comments]
Could I get some advice and guidance on what all these tests might mean and what I need to learn and know should my Endocrinologist head down the route of TRT, which is where she has indicated over the past couple of months whilst doing tests?
I apologise for the length, but I have tried to cover it as much as possible, as I accept nothing is simple. If more information is needed that I have missed, please ask.
Thanks
Stats
- Age: 45
- Height: 6ft 7
- Waist: 50 inches
- Weight: 25 stone / 159kg
- Body fat: 29.3% (using https://www.calculator.net/body-fat-calculator.html)
- BMI: 39.7
I was overweight for a good 20 years; we think this was when my thyroid started causing issues, and it took many years for the NHS to even consider that a problem. I also had no morning erections for a good ten years. I honestly cannot remember the last time I felt hungry, and that was after either an hour of weight lifting or hiking for a full day in the Austrian Alps (the longest one was a 10km round trip and a 1200m climb and then descent).
It took several years to sort the thyroid, and I was still unable to lose weight, although other things had resolved themselves. My GP refused to investigate further, saying simply I was too young. Plus, back in 2019, my Testosterone level was 17.1nmol/L, and now it is down to 7.5, and apart from being a few years older, nothing else has changed weight-wise or fitness, etc. I have had many Covid jabs as my father was extremely vulnerable, and I was his carer.
I am now under a different GP practice that started from scratch and said that, in their opinion, something underlying was causing the myriad of symptoms. They started testing and thought she knew what was wrong. It was agreed that, in computer terms, there was a tick box that needed ticking, but finding which one would take time.
However, their final idea saw her ask for guidance from Endocrinology; they said to do nothing and that they would take over. This was in 2023. However, Testosterone issues are an ultra-low priority in my area, so my expected appointment is in 2025.
For the past few months, I have seen an Endocrinologist privately with the agreement of my GP, who has done all the requested tests and agreed that if any prescriptions are needed, they will do it.
In addition to the above, dieticians have cleared me, having seen them privately and on the NHS.
I spent a year with a personal trainer at a bodybuilder gym, working out with him three times a week with no results and stopped through no results but with growing mental and physical fatigue. Walking 10,000 steps a day is not a problem for me.
I have had this all on hold for a while, what with COVID-19 and then a relative's very poor health. It is now time to focus back on myself, I think. I sleep a good 8 hours a night and get up feeling worse than going to bed – although randomly, I do have bouts of insomnia.
As mentioned to my GP and Endocrinologist, I have no problem putting in the hard work at the gym, but when that hard work does absolutely nothing for muscle mass or body shape, etc., it gets very depressing. I guess that does give me one direct question: How long do I need to leave it before going back if my Endocrinologist prescribes TRT—do I need to let my body recover a bit before stressing it by doing weights, etc.?
Tests (Using UK NHS Scales)
Testosterone has been done now 6 or 7 times, always within 0.2 or below and always done between 08:50 and 09:10 in the morning.
In addition, she requested an ultrasound, and the results came back as 29mm AP diameter and 19mm AP diameter, respectively, for the testes.
| Test | Result | NHS Reference Range |
|---|---|---|
| Testosterone | 7.5 nmol/L | 8.6 – 29.0 |
| Calculated Free Testosterone | 180 pmol/L | |
| SHBG | 25 nmol/L | 18.3 - 54.1 |
| Free T4 level | 21.7 pmol/L | 11 - 23 |
| TSH level | 0.49 miu/L | 0.27 - 4.5 |
| Haematocrit | 0.419 | 0.387 – 0.492 |
| Creatinine level | 71 umol/L | 59 - 104 |
| Urea level | 3.9 mmol/L | 2.5 - 7.8 |
| Potassium level | 4 mmol/L | 3.5 - 5.3 |
| Albumin level | 39 g/L | 35 - 50 |
| Total Protein level | 74 | 60 - 80 |
| Sodium level | 142 mmol/L | 133 - 146 |
| Insulin-like growth factor 1 level | 11.5 nmol/L | 11.1 - 27.7 |
| Growth hormone level | 0.1 ug/L | |
| Prolactin level | 241 mu/L | 86 - 324 |
| Cortisol level Dexamethasone suppression test | 19 nmol/L | |
| Cholesterol level | 5.0 mmol/L | |
| Triglyceride level | 2.4 mmol/L | |
| HDL | 1.1 mmol/L | |
| LDL | 2.8 mmol/L | |
| Cholesterol / HDL ratio | 4.5 mmol | |
| B12 | 63ng/l | 197 – 771 |
2024.05.19 12:18 No_Stock_8448 Looking for guidance on how to best work with doctor to get a diagnosis after 4 years of symptom management.
Hi. I am looking for guidance on how best to work with my doctor to get some clarity on the cause of some symptoms I’ve been dealing with for the last four years. If this is something I should go directly to a specialist to, please let me know.
Background: Four years ago I had a health episode, which was characterized as a hypothyroid episode a year later by an endocrinologist. (The episode happened during the pandemic and thus it took a long time to see a specialist. Had it not been for the pandemic and how overwhelmed the hospitals were I would have called an ambulance). The episode was me waking up suddenly in the middle of the night with a racing heart and inability to move due to sudden muscle weakness. I was eventually able to lift myself out of bed after 4 hours but remained in bed for the day. Heart was racing for the next three days and didn’t start coming down until day three. I lost about 15 pounds over the week following. I became super emotional and started crying easily (which was very uncharacteristic for me) and started experiencing low blood pressure and hypoglycemia as well as intense fatigue. My sleep was wrecked. I couldn’t sleep for more than an hour or two before my body would suddenly wake me up. My doctor at the time sent me for blood work (CMP) and I tagged on a order for CRP (in the state I lived at the time you can order your own test) due to the irregular heart activity and both came back normal. My PCP at the time could not identify a diagnosis and did not provide any recommendations for treatment. (Again this was mid-height of the pandemic so doctors were overworked and burning out, so I get it, but it was hard to not have an answer.) Ultimately I self managed by leaning on my healthy eating and lifestyle habits (whole foods based diet, avoiding sugar and process foods and prioritizing rest and stress reduction). I also got a therapist to help me deal with anxiety caused by the lack of sleep and got a psych evaluation just to be thorough given the sudden crying fits. Psych evaluation came back clear. In the end I quit my job and moved back in with my parents because management of my symptoms became a full time job. After nine months of diligence I was able to put back on 10 of the 25 pounds I lost in total the 2-3 weeks following the episode. After a year and a half I was able to stop the (non-diabetic) hypoglycemia, and got a diagnosis of POTS which explained the low blood pressure and some of the exercise fatigue. After two years I was finally able to hit six hours a night of sleep and within six months was back to eight.
For the most part I’m okay now. I’ve put all my weight back on, my sleep in restored, no random crying fits, my exercise intolerance continues to improve and I’ve even been able to expand my diet after being put on a low-FODMAP, gluten-free dairy free diet 10 yes ago after food poisoning. However every six months or so, the symptoms start to creep back in. Sleep disruption is usually the first sign. I’ll find myself waking up after 4 hrs, usually with a racing heart and after an intense vivid dream. The weirdest part is the time distortion. The four hours feels like eight. Then the exercise intolerance starts to creep and the weight starts dropping.
A bit more context: this most recent episode (what spurred this post) is happening while I take a break from animal-based protein. (I have painful monthly periods due to endometriosis and noticed last month a reduction in pain and that I didn’t eat meat a few days leading into the period.) I’ve been eating beans and rice to get a complete protein and each meal has carbs, fat, veg protein and fiber. I may have a problem breaking down fat (just based on my own observation of what I notice with bowel movements, the color turns orange/yellow after my period and for the first half of my cycle), and I noticed yesterday that the internal chatter we all have (you know that worrying and nagging part of us) has gone quiet. That part has been nice actually but it’s uncharacteristic for me. I’m usually more driven and results focused. Currently just meh, not depressed (feel good about self and life) just apathetic. I’m also the most active I’ve been since the episode. Currently walking 20 mins/day 5/days per week with no exercise fatigue!
I can usually self manage but I’d love to work with my doctor to get to the bottom of this. I’m in a different state now (NY) and have a new PCP, but I’m wondering what testing should I be asking for to get answers and if I should instead ask for a referral to a specialist and if so which one. I thought it was an endocrinologist but my endo related bloodwork always comes back normal, so not sure if that specialty still makes sense. Four years is a long time to self-manage and I’m appreciate any guidance in pointing me in the best direction.
submitted by No_Stock_8448 to AskDocs [link] [comments]
Background: Four years ago I had a health episode, which was characterized as a hypothyroid episode a year later by an endocrinologist. (The episode happened during the pandemic and thus it took a long time to see a specialist. Had it not been for the pandemic and how overwhelmed the hospitals were I would have called an ambulance). The episode was me waking up suddenly in the middle of the night with a racing heart and inability to move due to sudden muscle weakness. I was eventually able to lift myself out of bed after 4 hours but remained in bed for the day. Heart was racing for the next three days and didn’t start coming down until day three. I lost about 15 pounds over the week following. I became super emotional and started crying easily (which was very uncharacteristic for me) and started experiencing low blood pressure and hypoglycemia as well as intense fatigue. My sleep was wrecked. I couldn’t sleep for more than an hour or two before my body would suddenly wake me up. My doctor at the time sent me for blood work (CMP) and I tagged on a order for CRP (in the state I lived at the time you can order your own test) due to the irregular heart activity and both came back normal. My PCP at the time could not identify a diagnosis and did not provide any recommendations for treatment. (Again this was mid-height of the pandemic so doctors were overworked and burning out, so I get it, but it was hard to not have an answer.) Ultimately I self managed by leaning on my healthy eating and lifestyle habits (whole foods based diet, avoiding sugar and process foods and prioritizing rest and stress reduction). I also got a therapist to help me deal with anxiety caused by the lack of sleep and got a psych evaluation just to be thorough given the sudden crying fits. Psych evaluation came back clear. In the end I quit my job and moved back in with my parents because management of my symptoms became a full time job. After nine months of diligence I was able to put back on 10 of the 25 pounds I lost in total the 2-3 weeks following the episode. After a year and a half I was able to stop the (non-diabetic) hypoglycemia, and got a diagnosis of POTS which explained the low blood pressure and some of the exercise fatigue. After two years I was finally able to hit six hours a night of sleep and within six months was back to eight.
For the most part I’m okay now. I’ve put all my weight back on, my sleep in restored, no random crying fits, my exercise intolerance continues to improve and I’ve even been able to expand my diet after being put on a low-FODMAP, gluten-free dairy free diet 10 yes ago after food poisoning. However every six months or so, the symptoms start to creep back in. Sleep disruption is usually the first sign. I’ll find myself waking up after 4 hrs, usually with a racing heart and after an intense vivid dream. The weirdest part is the time distortion. The four hours feels like eight. Then the exercise intolerance starts to creep and the weight starts dropping.
A bit more context: this most recent episode (what spurred this post) is happening while I take a break from animal-based protein. (I have painful monthly periods due to endometriosis and noticed last month a reduction in pain and that I didn’t eat meat a few days leading into the period.) I’ve been eating beans and rice to get a complete protein and each meal has carbs, fat, veg protein and fiber. I may have a problem breaking down fat (just based on my own observation of what I notice with bowel movements, the color turns orange/yellow after my period and for the first half of my cycle), and I noticed yesterday that the internal chatter we all have (you know that worrying and nagging part of us) has gone quiet. That part has been nice actually but it’s uncharacteristic for me. I’m usually more driven and results focused. Currently just meh, not depressed (feel good about self and life) just apathetic. I’m also the most active I’ve been since the episode. Currently walking 20 mins/day 5/days per week with no exercise fatigue!
I can usually self manage but I’d love to work with my doctor to get to the bottom of this. I’m in a different state now (NY) and have a new PCP, but I’m wondering what testing should I be asking for to get answers and if I should instead ask for a referral to a specialist and if so which one. I thought it was an endocrinologist but my endo related bloodwork always comes back normal, so not sure if that specialty still makes sense. Four years is a long time to self-manage and I’m appreciate any guidance in pointing me in the best direction.
2024.05.19 11:42 RelationshipNice1035 Feeling confused and not enough
I (23F) have struggled with depression and anxiety officially for 6 years. I should be happy. I have recently returned home from exchange and was planning to chill out whilst I finish off my degree (online) until I recover from burnout/fatigue that I had built up from working to save for my travels. But since I was so exhausted for months (got blood tests and everything was fine) I couldn't leave my bed much and I felt so guilty I wasn't making use of my free time at home. I deleted a lot of my social media because I was feeling FOMO but as a result I think I might have unintentionally isolated myself. It was during my time overseas that I had an opportunity to reflect more on my life and started to realise the possibility that I could be austistic. I have started to see a new psych in order to figure this out and it turns out the masking I have been doing may also be a result of childhood issues. For context, my parents always fed me and provided for me financially, they are not drug addicts nor would I consider them abusive other than the 'typical' boomer domestic discipline, and I believe they love me, but unfortunately they have fucked my sister and I up emotionally. One of the main issues I struggle with is feeling like I'm overreacting when something upsets me. but I can't help but feel like I am. I'm not austistic enough to be discriminated against or perhaps even diagnosed yet I still feel like an alien. I haven't been abused enough to have significant trauma yet I'm a mess. Because of executive dis function I struggle to even grow my hobbies while at home which makes me feel even more worthless. I have foundmyselft wishing I was never born because I feel like I haven't been able to help and add to people in my life. especially since in the past I have definitely leened on my friends too much for support when I was struggling mentally and no one has lent on me in a way. I'm getting very close to graduation and some friends have even reached out to me to hang out but I justfeels too ashamed to leave my house. I should be job searching but I feel like I'm not good enough and I'm scared people will pin me as weird and exclude me like they have in previously. I want to see my friends but idk what to say if they ask what I've been up to. In the past I tend to just say everything that's on my mind because it takes a lot of effort for me to lie so I like to plan things to say before hand. I'm so scared of saying something wrong when I don't mean to. I feel stuck and stupid for letting myself slip into this spot because I know it's because I don't have a routine. I just feel so pathetic that I can't seem to ever be normal and am so fucked upwheni there is nothing that has happened to me that seems to warrant it. maybe I am as dramatic as I am afraid of.
Sorry for the brain dump, any advice would be appreciated
submitted by RelationshipNice1035 to depression [link] [comments]
Sorry for the brain dump, any advice would be appreciated
2024.05.19 11:24 TheSilentKirax Where should I let my rabbit rest after getting her spayed?
I was recently given a rabbit by a family member who wasn't taking care of her properly. I've had her for about 2 months now. Her name is Ziva and she's a Holland Lop around 4 years of age. She is free roam and goes wherever she pleases, but she has her own room where she sleeps. She hasn't been spayed yet, but I'm scared to make an appointment so i've been putting it off. I found a vet that has a lot of experience in spaying/neutering rabbits. She told me the preoperative check up and operation itself are the same day and I can pick Ziva up later that day and I will be given painkillers and a list of things I need to look out for. Theres an area in her room that i've sectioned off with a playpen, and thats usually where she sleeps. I also have a cage for her, the one she used to be kept in (I was thinking of turning it into a sandbox for her). Would it be better to just put her in the playpen for the first couple days after surgery, or is it better to keep her in a cage next to my bed? Also, what are some other ways I can make sure she's as comfortable as possible after her surgery?
submitted by TheSilentKirax to Rabbits [link] [comments]
2024.05.19 10:56 Sugarplumwish AITAH for not leaving the geyser on
I don't know who to ask advice of this so I thought reddit would be the best place. I 23 F Have been dating my 22 M boyfriend for a little over 2 years and today we had an argument. Usually I don't mind them and understand they are going to happen but today's was too much for me. For context I am currently unemployed with my boyfriend earning the household funds, because of this amongst other reasons I help him in the mornings. I get out of bed before him, lay out his clothes aswell as products he'll need then make breakfast and coffee and you guessed it, turn the geyser on. Last night I took a late bath and usually ask him if he'd like it on so he can shower afterwards, last night I didn't since it was late and I only took a bath since I was in pain. Fast forward to this morning. I half wake up seeing him dressed and annoyed. A little more context, he sometimes works on Sunday and in return wakes up later so he wants to do it himself. Anyway, as I wake up I see he's annoyed so out of instinct and care I asked if he was alright and if he was annoyed about something. He proceeded to tell me that I left the geyser off the one time he didn't tell me to and that he had a bad shower. Bare in mind I did ask why he was annoyed but I wasn't expecting that answer. After a few minutes I said I was sorry in which he proceeded to explain further that it annoyed him. Later after having time to think I confronted him and said that this was my first affence in this matter and asked why he got this mad at me because I couldn't grasp it. He continue with saying why does he need to ask, I should just do it which I proceeded to answer with that I ask him out of curtasy but forgot once. In this house my boyfriend and I share I felt bad leaving the geyser on since it just takes more money so I guess I instinctively didn't and didn't even have hot water myself. The arguements continued and he stormed off, but not before making a final statement. I respond with, you can't just walk away with him yelling I just did. Got in the kitchen where he was 5 seconds later and went to the fridge. I was hungry and acknowledged that I will not be treated with respect so what's the point of the conversation. He proceeded to ask questions like nothings wrong and I responded with the fact that I will not be speaking to someone who has no respect for me and storms off like a child. He proceeded to get offended and yelling at me. I told him I will not be yelled at like a dog, if he does not show me the same respect I show him I will not have this conversation. During which, he wanted to interrupt countless times which I did not allow in a span of 30 seconds. Than he stated that he is angry he is going to yell which I then stated again then I won't have this conversation. He trodded after me slamming the door open and yelling at me saying he is going to say this in which I said I do not want to have this conversation please respect that. He did not. He continued to yell in which a bit childish I know but I blocked my ears and kept repeating I do not want to talk please respect that and leave me alone while I could see his mouth moving and yelling. He then stormed off in a huff and continued to make snippy comments as he left. I was very supprised at how sound I handled they argument, stating my boundaries was kinda freeing. Worst part is he uses work as a reason not to handle the situation better because he will be late so whenever we have arguments he states that he does not have time for this so our arguments go unresolved. After the fight I walked out saying I do not want to talk to a man that has zero respect for me or time. After cooling down I think I should've just accepted the complaints and move on, I don't know what to do and honestly I am tired of it all, I love him so should I apologize or do something? AITAH?
submitted by Sugarplumwish to AITAH [link] [comments]
2024.05.19 10:43 SpooktorB Daily Reminder that Anycolor has caused 2 talents to almost take their own lives, and 2 others severe finacial issues with their local government
Day 81. Shush don't look at the time of posting. I'll make it up, I always do.
But in seriousness, life had to come first today, so now that I have time finally, we're are writing up the daily post for May 18th. Twill be another double post Sunday for me I guess to make up for it.
It may be considered "cheating" but I just want to make sure I don't miss this reminder before I go to bed for the day, which ever time that may be. This project is more of a personal one, powered by my own convictions of what has happened and and what is happening at Angcolor. That conviction drives me to ultimately try to remind people that that there are human being behind the screen, and we almost lost 2 of them, due to direct actions and negligent inaction of Anycolor. And that also 2 people had had their entire financial lives almost completely ruined, and almost jailed, due to Anycolors complete incompetence and illiteracy of international tax law, despite having hired and managed internationally for years at that point. I want to bring awareness specifically to the individual level of these issues, while not specifying names, because the who isn't really important, but the fact of the matter that it did happen at all. But please feel free to ask questions, and answer said questions. I'm not trying to keep a secret, just keep it as far away from being the talents issue as possible.
Please do not harass anyone. Do not ask anyone to quit. But again, don't let anycolor push aside these above facts. Do not let Anycolor hide from the atrocities that has been committed. There has been no tangible improvements since Rikus last message.
This is the most I can do myself though, is post daily reminders. I do not have the mental or emotional capacity for much past this.
We all have that different threshold. I saw a question asking who still watches Anycolor talents. For those that still do, it's okay. You can still watch and be part of the larger ideals of the party. We all have different thresholds, and what we can and can't do. So long as your ultimate goal is that the talents are safer, and what you do is helping with that goal that is what you can.
Stay safe everyone
submitted by SpooktorB to kurosanji [link] [comments]
But in seriousness, life had to come first today, so now that I have time finally, we're are writing up the daily post for May 18th. Twill be another double post Sunday for me I guess to make up for it.
It may be considered "cheating" but I just want to make sure I don't miss this reminder before I go to bed for the day, which ever time that may be. This project is more of a personal one, powered by my own convictions of what has happened and and what is happening at Angcolor. That conviction drives me to ultimately try to remind people that that there are human being behind the screen, and we almost lost 2 of them, due to direct actions and negligent inaction of Anycolor. And that also 2 people had had their entire financial lives almost completely ruined, and almost jailed, due to Anycolors complete incompetence and illiteracy of international tax law, despite having hired and managed internationally for years at that point. I want to bring awareness specifically to the individual level of these issues, while not specifying names, because the who isn't really important, but the fact of the matter that it did happen at all. But please feel free to ask questions, and answer said questions. I'm not trying to keep a secret, just keep it as far away from being the talents issue as possible.
Please do not harass anyone. Do not ask anyone to quit. But again, don't let anycolor push aside these above facts. Do not let Anycolor hide from the atrocities that has been committed. There has been no tangible improvements since Rikus last message.
This is the most I can do myself though, is post daily reminders. I do not have the mental or emotional capacity for much past this.
We all have that different threshold. I saw a question asking who still watches Anycolor talents. For those that still do, it's okay. You can still watch and be part of the larger ideals of the party. We all have different thresholds, and what we can and can't do. So long as your ultimate goal is that the talents are safer, and what you do is helping with that goal that is what you can.
Stay safe everyone
2024.05.19 10:40 No_Seaworthiness5738 haaaalp 1 yr old and 3 yr old cats not getting along
I have had my kitten for almost a year now and he turned 1 in March. I adopted him when he was 4 months old and I got my resident kitty when he was about 6 weeks old. I was in college when I got my first cat and he was absolutely insane (as all kittens are). He stressed me tf out and I definitely played with him with my fingernails (which I later read is not smart to do) as he now bites me and anyone who comes over to get attention. I have moved many times with my cat and he has lived with other cats that do not particularly like him and has played with small dogs his size. He is half maine coon and is about 15 lbs. Most female cats have not gotten along with him in the past even though he just likes to follow them around and watch them or even boop their nose with his paw out of curiosity and maybe social awkwardness as he was raised in my 1 br apartments.
I recently graduated and had a full time job. I did not feel like I had enough time for him as he is very affectionate and playful. He has always gotten along with other animals and showed a lot of interest in other furry friends. Last summer I had recently moved into my own place after living with my roommate and her 2 female cats and had decided I wanted to get him a friend. I went to the nearest animal shelter just to play with the cats. As soon as I got there the people at the shelter told me about a kitten they wanted me to meet. I told them I didn’t think it would be a good idea and that I didn’t think I had the time for another crazy kitten. Long story short, I fell in love with little him and couldn’t stop looking at the pictures I took of him and picked him up the next day.
When i adopted him they assured me that since my resident cat was so relaxed and the kitten was well socialized I would be fine to introduce them a few hours after I got him settled at my apartment and they’d play all day long and blah blah blah. I got him home, played with him, let him smell my cat under the door and eventually let them into the same room. Immediately my kitten was showing signs of aggression which my resident cat was not even responding to. Most of the time when my kitten is being aggressive (puffy tail, walking sideways, ears back, tail flapping) my resident cat is laying down a few feet away. Also, he was so tiny compared to my cat but eventually they slept together in my bed and on the floor.
My kitten plays rough and I thought since my cat likes to bite me and attack my arms (sometimes he is insanely aggressive and very strong) he would be a perfect wrestle buddy. There have been multiple times where I have had to separate them from rolling around on the ground or one pinning the other to the point where they are screaming. It’s like watching WWE they throw each other and chase each other but it always seems to end with aggression from one of them. My kitten will stalk my cat and chase him up the cat trees, wait for him to get out of the litter box and chase him under the bed, or anytime my cat gets near the couch my kitten will shake his booty and run after my cat until he’s in another room. My cat is very chill and he has distanced himself from me. It was unfair of me to improperly introduce them and allow my kitten to bully my resident cat. I do not want my resident cat to hate me and I want him to be able to cuddle with me without fear of being body slammed. My kitten is very affectionate and sweet and I want to make sure I try everything to make this situation work. After initially separating them, my cat started doing some of the things he used to do again but after letting them spend longer periods of time together, my kitten is doing the same things.
My bf and I have been separating them for a few weeks. We live in an 800 sft apartment and are moving to a space that is twice the size in less than a month. I messed up with the initial introduction and have separated them recently as the issues have gotten worse. I have been feeding them separately and worked them up to feeding with the door open just on different sides where they don’t see one another and only letting them spend time together supervised. We have kept my kitten in the bedroom and bathroom, moving him to the bathroom at night and allowing my cat to be in the bedroom and living room at night. I am unemployed and spending all day at home. Both kittens cry when I leave one room and my kitten has even learned how to jump against the door to open it. I resorted to letting them hang out in the living room, separating their food and water, and separating my kitten when he is aggressive towards my cat. I just read about not free feeding so I will pickup their hard food bowls tomorrow. We also have a spray bottle and have been watching them play and spraying the kitten when he bites or jumps on top of my cat to the point he is trying to flee. We are trying to teach boundaries but my cat will let him bite and swat at him until he screams in pain and just runs away. My cat is a lover not a fighter and my kitten is both.
Lastly, we have urgently been trying to work on these behaviors because we are planning on introducing my bfs dog to our cats when we move. I am confident that my resident cat will get along with her but I am fearful my kitten will not adjust. We are planning on keeping the kitten in a room to himself and my cat in another room. We are getting a baby gate to first introduce her to my cat and eventually face to face meeting. We are planning on starting the reintroduction process over again in the new place for a longer period of time. We are hoping that reintroducing the cats and then my kitten seeing my cat and dog interacting calmly and relax with the aggressive behaviors. I have tried to spend time with them playing separately in their spaces and then playing with them together and half the time leads to the rough playing that stresses my cat out. His dog is laid back but he is unsure how she would react to the kitten biting, scratching, or being rough. I want to give my kitten the best life possible. He is so adorable and has so much energy and love to give. He is smart and understands he is being bad when he’s biting his brother!
If you got this far thank you so much and if you have any advice I would greatly appreciate it!!!
submitted by No_Seaworthiness5738 to CatTraining [link] [comments]
I recently graduated and had a full time job. I did not feel like I had enough time for him as he is very affectionate and playful. He has always gotten along with other animals and showed a lot of interest in other furry friends. Last summer I had recently moved into my own place after living with my roommate and her 2 female cats and had decided I wanted to get him a friend. I went to the nearest animal shelter just to play with the cats. As soon as I got there the people at the shelter told me about a kitten they wanted me to meet. I told them I didn’t think it would be a good idea and that I didn’t think I had the time for another crazy kitten. Long story short, I fell in love with little him and couldn’t stop looking at the pictures I took of him and picked him up the next day.
When i adopted him they assured me that since my resident cat was so relaxed and the kitten was well socialized I would be fine to introduce them a few hours after I got him settled at my apartment and they’d play all day long and blah blah blah. I got him home, played with him, let him smell my cat under the door and eventually let them into the same room. Immediately my kitten was showing signs of aggression which my resident cat was not even responding to. Most of the time when my kitten is being aggressive (puffy tail, walking sideways, ears back, tail flapping) my resident cat is laying down a few feet away. Also, he was so tiny compared to my cat but eventually they slept together in my bed and on the floor.
My kitten plays rough and I thought since my cat likes to bite me and attack my arms (sometimes he is insanely aggressive and very strong) he would be a perfect wrestle buddy. There have been multiple times where I have had to separate them from rolling around on the ground or one pinning the other to the point where they are screaming. It’s like watching WWE they throw each other and chase each other but it always seems to end with aggression from one of them. My kitten will stalk my cat and chase him up the cat trees, wait for him to get out of the litter box and chase him under the bed, or anytime my cat gets near the couch my kitten will shake his booty and run after my cat until he’s in another room. My cat is very chill and he has distanced himself from me. It was unfair of me to improperly introduce them and allow my kitten to bully my resident cat. I do not want my resident cat to hate me and I want him to be able to cuddle with me without fear of being body slammed. My kitten is very affectionate and sweet and I want to make sure I try everything to make this situation work. After initially separating them, my cat started doing some of the things he used to do again but after letting them spend longer periods of time together, my kitten is doing the same things.
My bf and I have been separating them for a few weeks. We live in an 800 sft apartment and are moving to a space that is twice the size in less than a month. I messed up with the initial introduction and have separated them recently as the issues have gotten worse. I have been feeding them separately and worked them up to feeding with the door open just on different sides where they don’t see one another and only letting them spend time together supervised. We have kept my kitten in the bedroom and bathroom, moving him to the bathroom at night and allowing my cat to be in the bedroom and living room at night. I am unemployed and spending all day at home. Both kittens cry when I leave one room and my kitten has even learned how to jump against the door to open it. I resorted to letting them hang out in the living room, separating their food and water, and separating my kitten when he is aggressive towards my cat. I just read about not free feeding so I will pickup their hard food bowls tomorrow. We also have a spray bottle and have been watching them play and spraying the kitten when he bites or jumps on top of my cat to the point he is trying to flee. We are trying to teach boundaries but my cat will let him bite and swat at him until he screams in pain and just runs away. My cat is a lover not a fighter and my kitten is both.
Lastly, we have urgently been trying to work on these behaviors because we are planning on introducing my bfs dog to our cats when we move. I am confident that my resident cat will get along with her but I am fearful my kitten will not adjust. We are planning on keeping the kitten in a room to himself and my cat in another room. We are getting a baby gate to first introduce her to my cat and eventually face to face meeting. We are planning on starting the reintroduction process over again in the new place for a longer period of time. We are hoping that reintroducing the cats and then my kitten seeing my cat and dog interacting calmly and relax with the aggressive behaviors. I have tried to spend time with them playing separately in their spaces and then playing with them together and half the time leads to the rough playing that stresses my cat out. His dog is laid back but he is unsure how she would react to the kitten biting, scratching, or being rough. I want to give my kitten the best life possible. He is so adorable and has so much energy and love to give. He is smart and understands he is being bad when he’s biting his brother!
If you got this far thank you so much and if you have any advice I would greatly appreciate it!!!
2024.05.19 10:09 StreetWoodpecker2227 3 weeks off of sertraline
Hey guys, name is james and im 27. I'm new here, just after some advice if anyone has been In the same boat!
So I'd been on sertraline 50mg for 2 years after a nasty cocaine addiction left me with severe depression (didn't leave the house for 2 months). I'm now 2 years clean from all forms of drug (except sertraline which I came of 3 weeks ago).
Sertraline helped hugely. I couldn't be more thankful for it, but after 2 years of weight gain and lack of sexual drive, I decided to pack it in. 3 months of tapering and then packed it in completely 3 weeks ago.
Felt amazing for the first week, but yesterday (day 22) I got hit with a huge wave of crippling anxiety and sadness. I had to get home ASAP and curl up in bed. I'm still here now! Luckily my girlfriend is mega supportive which is helping a lot.
The thought of socialising right now is impossible.
I'm wondering what this is? Is this me 'Med free'? Or is this withdrawal?
Thanks to anyone who replies, and I hope you're all doing well on your zoloft journeys 🙏
submitted by StreetWoodpecker2227 to zoloft [link] [comments]
So I'd been on sertraline 50mg for 2 years after a nasty cocaine addiction left me with severe depression (didn't leave the house for 2 months). I'm now 2 years clean from all forms of drug (except sertraline which I came of 3 weeks ago).
Sertraline helped hugely. I couldn't be more thankful for it, but after 2 years of weight gain and lack of sexual drive, I decided to pack it in. 3 months of tapering and then packed it in completely 3 weeks ago.
Felt amazing for the first week, but yesterday (day 22) I got hit with a huge wave of crippling anxiety and sadness. I had to get home ASAP and curl up in bed. I'm still here now! Luckily my girlfriend is mega supportive which is helping a lot.
The thought of socialising right now is impossible.
I'm wondering what this is? Is this me 'Med free'? Or is this withdrawal?
Thanks to anyone who replies, and I hope you're all doing well on your zoloft journeys 🙏
2024.05.19 10:01 JustaCatChick My roommate is my aunt and she’s becoming difficult and starting to slowly charge me more.
My aunt F(40) and I F(25) agreed to both get an apartment with both of our names on the lease. She was in a rush to get an apartment as she had just had a divorce, and I wanted my own place after moving out of my boyfriend’s parent’s house.
She was in a rush to sign the papers and move in because she had nowhere else to go. Her sister (my other aunt) allowed her to live in her house rent free for a couple months before she needed to look for a place. So once she found out, I was breaking up she took it as an opportunity to get a roommate.
I feel like me being naïve and new to the lease signing process was seen as an opportunity to take advantage. The day of signing the lease they told us that we couldn’t view the unit because it wasn’t ready and I told her that I didn’t sign it because I don’t know what the condition is but she insisted that we do and that we can fix it later, so I did trusting her.
Once we move in, it’s a very old department and we are paying roughly 1,500 in rent. It’s a two bed two bath. It comes with the garage for a single car, which she has claimed since she pays more. She has the master bedroom with a standup shower and a bathtub as well as “his and her sink”. I have the guest restroom, which is just a simple small bathroom with a tub shower, toilet and sink.
Initially, the agreement was the I pay a portion of the rent, electricity and Internet. Her mother, which is my grandmother was trying to help us get us into our own place so sent her $5000 which was supposed to be divided by two which would give $2500 to her and $2500 to me. I didn’t know about this until recently as she hid it and was acting like it was given to her for months, and even made it seem like she was being nice by helping me out since I couldn’t afford some stuff during she furniture shopping. So when we went shopping for the apartment, I tried to help pay for half of groceries and little furnishings that I could afford out of my pocket. When it came to picking out couches, she made it seem like a very carefree experience (not paying attending to price) and was looking for a very big couch that was lavish and when I told her I couldn’t afford it, she said don’t worry Grandmother is helping us out. (but we’re just spending my portion of the money on the couch she wanted) If I had known that MY money was going towards that couch, I would’ve definitely chose a cheaper one and put more thought into selecting it.
I had a gut feeling about the spending and asked my grandmother about the “help she gave us”, she told me the truth: that $2500 should have gone to me, and she’s sorry that she didn’t clarify it soon as she sent it. She thought my aunt would’ve done the right thing and give it to me to help me purchase my furniture for my room. Later she went shopping for a brand new mattress and began shopping for more furniture and decor. Meanwhile, my room is full of free furniture that is used and that I’ve gotten from family members storage and IKEA furniture that I bought out of my own pocket.
I am a full-time student, receiving assistance from the gov receiving 1400/month as a Veterans dependent. And I also do commissions on the side to make extra money. So I live very frugally naturally and am a minimalist tbh and yes I CAN afford bills and own groceries. I’ll also watch all her animals while she’s out of town for free (2 cats and 1 dog). I only have one cat and often clean the whole apartment, including helping her with her laundry that sits in the washedryer. Since i see it as a contribution and helping her out.
The agreement has changed in the past four months that I’ve lived with her. We are 4 months into a 14 month lease. She pays $1200 a month for rent, I am responsible for everything else. That being: whatever is left of rent, water, electricity, Internet, and I have to pay for my own parking every month at the apartment we stay (she gets garage so she doesn’t have to pay parking)
Lately she’s been asking me if I’m going to get a job and to start contributing more towards the rent, which caught me off guard as I thought we had already come to an agreement on the rent/bills situation before signing the lease and revisiting about a month ago. Right now I’m roughly paying $600-$700 in utilities and rent combined. If it gets more expensive and bills go up I am responsible for the overages and she seems to like to leave the AC low and lights on. She’ll leave her clothes in the washer and forget to throw them in the dryer and end up washing them again. The same thing with the dryer. Even if it’s dry she’ll, have to redry it to “freshen it up”.
I’m also probably undiagnosed OCD, my only complaint to her is to be clean and at least keep common areas tidy. She likes to leave things in the sink overnight, dump her weeks worth of coffee cups that she brings from work in the sink and leave them for hours. Her dog will pee around the apartment and I find it after it dries up and becomes sticky after I step in it. I’ve mentioned these issues before, but she seems to shrug them off and give me excuses.
I’ll leave for days at a time and give her a notice on when I leave and come back because I know I am leaving my cat with her, but I make sure he always has food and I come by and check on him, clean litter box and tidy up around the place if I’m staying at my boyfriends, which is only 20 minutes away. She complain the fact that I’m gone too long. And when I’m at the apartment, it seems to bother her that I do school from home and can work from home doing commissions. I’m an introvert.
She is a shopping addict and is in debt and also runs a business that is in the red, she has no children and she seems to be living above what she can afford. Her ex husband is needing help financially and I think it’s affecting her financially. In the end she’s asking for me to help her as she is struggling with her lifestyle, relationship, and business.
Some people might say that my situation isn’t that bad or that I’m overthinking, but since this is a family member, it’s hard to set boundaries as well as stand up for myself when I respect her as an aunt.
She’s came to me offering to help me in the beginning when I was looking for a place and now it seems like a trap. My parents asked me to move back in so that I could save money and avoid rent but she said if I move out I’m fully responsible for breaking the lease or paying for her to downsize into a single bed room unit, which would be $1300 in fees or more. I want to stand my ground since my name is on that lease and we made an agreement. I’m frustrated and really need advice. Am I wrong, should I help more or is she just taking advantage.
submitted by JustaCatChick to badroommates [link] [comments]
She was in a rush to sign the papers and move in because she had nowhere else to go. Her sister (my other aunt) allowed her to live in her house rent free for a couple months before she needed to look for a place. So once she found out, I was breaking up she took it as an opportunity to get a roommate.
I feel like me being naïve and new to the lease signing process was seen as an opportunity to take advantage. The day of signing the lease they told us that we couldn’t view the unit because it wasn’t ready and I told her that I didn’t sign it because I don’t know what the condition is but she insisted that we do and that we can fix it later, so I did trusting her.
Once we move in, it’s a very old department and we are paying roughly 1,500 in rent. It’s a two bed two bath. It comes with the garage for a single car, which she has claimed since she pays more. She has the master bedroom with a standup shower and a bathtub as well as “his and her sink”. I have the guest restroom, which is just a simple small bathroom with a tub shower, toilet and sink.
Initially, the agreement was the I pay a portion of the rent, electricity and Internet. Her mother, which is my grandmother was trying to help us get us into our own place so sent her $5000 which was supposed to be divided by two which would give $2500 to her and $2500 to me. I didn’t know about this until recently as she hid it and was acting like it was given to her for months, and even made it seem like she was being nice by helping me out since I couldn’t afford some stuff during she furniture shopping. So when we went shopping for the apartment, I tried to help pay for half of groceries and little furnishings that I could afford out of my pocket. When it came to picking out couches, she made it seem like a very carefree experience (not paying attending to price) and was looking for a very big couch that was lavish and when I told her I couldn’t afford it, she said don’t worry Grandmother is helping us out. (but we’re just spending my portion of the money on the couch she wanted) If I had known that MY money was going towards that couch, I would’ve definitely chose a cheaper one and put more thought into selecting it.
I had a gut feeling about the spending and asked my grandmother about the “help she gave us”, she told me the truth: that $2500 should have gone to me, and she’s sorry that she didn’t clarify it soon as she sent it. She thought my aunt would’ve done the right thing and give it to me to help me purchase my furniture for my room. Later she went shopping for a brand new mattress and began shopping for more furniture and decor. Meanwhile, my room is full of free furniture that is used and that I’ve gotten from family members storage and IKEA furniture that I bought out of my own pocket.
I am a full-time student, receiving assistance from the gov receiving 1400/month as a Veterans dependent. And I also do commissions on the side to make extra money. So I live very frugally naturally and am a minimalist tbh and yes I CAN afford bills and own groceries. I’ll also watch all her animals while she’s out of town for free (2 cats and 1 dog). I only have one cat and often clean the whole apartment, including helping her with her laundry that sits in the washedryer. Since i see it as a contribution and helping her out.
The agreement has changed in the past four months that I’ve lived with her. We are 4 months into a 14 month lease. She pays $1200 a month for rent, I am responsible for everything else. That being: whatever is left of rent, water, electricity, Internet, and I have to pay for my own parking every month at the apartment we stay (she gets garage so she doesn’t have to pay parking)
Lately she’s been asking me if I’m going to get a job and to start contributing more towards the rent, which caught me off guard as I thought we had already come to an agreement on the rent/bills situation before signing the lease and revisiting about a month ago. Right now I’m roughly paying $600-$700 in utilities and rent combined. If it gets more expensive and bills go up I am responsible for the overages and she seems to like to leave the AC low and lights on. She’ll leave her clothes in the washer and forget to throw them in the dryer and end up washing them again. The same thing with the dryer. Even if it’s dry she’ll, have to redry it to “freshen it up”.
I’m also probably undiagnosed OCD, my only complaint to her is to be clean and at least keep common areas tidy. She likes to leave things in the sink overnight, dump her weeks worth of coffee cups that she brings from work in the sink and leave them for hours. Her dog will pee around the apartment and I find it after it dries up and becomes sticky after I step in it. I’ve mentioned these issues before, but she seems to shrug them off and give me excuses.
I’ll leave for days at a time and give her a notice on when I leave and come back because I know I am leaving my cat with her, but I make sure he always has food and I come by and check on him, clean litter box and tidy up around the place if I’m staying at my boyfriends, which is only 20 minutes away. She complain the fact that I’m gone too long. And when I’m at the apartment, it seems to bother her that I do school from home and can work from home doing commissions. I’m an introvert.
She is a shopping addict and is in debt and also runs a business that is in the red, she has no children and she seems to be living above what she can afford. Her ex husband is needing help financially and I think it’s affecting her financially. In the end she’s asking for me to help her as she is struggling with her lifestyle, relationship, and business.
Some people might say that my situation isn’t that bad or that I’m overthinking, but since this is a family member, it’s hard to set boundaries as well as stand up for myself when I respect her as an aunt.
She’s came to me offering to help me in the beginning when I was looking for a place and now it seems like a trap. My parents asked me to move back in so that I could save money and avoid rent but she said if I move out I’m fully responsible for breaking the lease or paying for her to downsize into a single bed room unit, which would be $1300 in fees or more. I want to stand my ground since my name is on that lease and we made an agreement. I’m frustrated and really need advice. Am I wrong, should I help more or is she just taking advantage.
2024.05.19 09:47 Ufratys First Time ACOMAF Reader (ch. 21-25) Thoughts & Impressions
Not much to say here since I wanted to see what happened with the Weaver. Enjoy!
Ch. 21
submitted by Ufratys to acotar [link] [comments]
Ch. 21
- Oh how creepy is this…door shutting, handle gone, and the Weaver softly saying “who's in my house?”
- Holy shit why does she look like that?! Don't tease me with the young body but then have The Ring girl’s face attached to it. She's definitely a double bagger, absolutely terrifying.
- Omg Feyre, you go scorched earth and set fire to the entire cottage with a candle instead of using your flamethrower ability with your hands and torch the Weaver. SMH
- Escape through the chimney though, that's smart. This girl has some bright moments
- Wait, is the Weaver cooking faeries?! And is she weaving their entrails or flesh or something??? I mean, on the one hand that's just plain gross, but on the other, why don't you just weave you a new face???
- Isn't Feyre like super strong now? Why doesn't she just punch through the chimney?
- Weaver is gaining, please feel free to use your mind bullets at any time now Feyre. Also, feel free to step in at any time Rhys and help out lol
- Oh wow, the Weaver made her house of out of the bodies of her victims, this is the stuff of nightmares
- “What the hell did you do?” LOL Rhys just chilling on a tree, winnow the fuck out plz and ty
- Dude Amren can just vanish vomit? I think my question about fae plumbing has now been answered!
- So the ring was just a memento from his mom? Makes sense
- Thank you Feyre for finally coming to your senses and wanting to learn how to fight and how to use your abilities. It only took almost dying again to realize it
- Oooh diving into Rhysand's pensive! Let's see what he shows Feyre
- Damn, Ianthe wants some High Lord D!
- Oh interesting, so Ianthe does have ulterior motives…this is like some bene gesserit scheming going on. At least Rhys knows not to stick his dick in crazy. Much respect, he's channeling that Lucien energy again!
- Very cool developments!
- Oooh some Mor backstory, thank you mommy
- Damn so faeries are just as petty as humans when it comes to selling off their daughters…BRUTAL
- Good guy Cassian always coming to the rescue, this guy chads
- Oooh Feyre chose Azriel to carry her, Cassian and Rhysand are like wtf
- Oh nice they're in the mortal lands now.
- Quick side bar: what's Tammy been doing all this time? Is there any palace left? I'm assuming it's rubble from all of his tantrums of losing Feyre. Or maybe he's going through all the bureaucratic faerie red tape to demand an audience with the night court. I'm surprised Lucien hasn't tried to make contact, but I'm guessing he thinks this is for Feyre’s benefit.
- Oh shit it's Elain and Nesta! This must feel surreal for Feyre
- Damn Nesta is cold-blooded. No sympathy for Feyre at all
- Why doesn't Feyre just explain that they'll glamour everyone and ward their house so no one knows that the faeries will be in their town?
- I'm wondering if Nesta is jealous at all with Feyre. I bet she's waiting for some high fae to sweep her off her feet the way she talks to Feyre about bouncing from court to court
- Nice! No time to waste, let's get the meeting started
- Oh interesting Feyre's last name is Archeron? Hmmm….Cursebreaker sounds better
- Also, is this meeting turning into a triple date???
- Lol Azriel doesn't want to be here at all
- Dinner too??? They just need to pair off now
- I'm sure there's meaning behind where everyone sits at a feast, but I'm ignorant to all that decorum.
- Cassian sitting next to Elain though, the first move has been made!
- Interesting, so human food doesn't taste good at all to fae? How is it different?
- “I can eat, drink, fuck, and fight just as well as I did before. Better, even.” THE SHADE. Cassian choking on his water in response is hilarious
- Hahaha Cassian found his lover, he's sizing Nesta up and she's having none of it.
- Lol she's not even acknowledging him, this bro is in love.
- OH SHIT Elain mentioning Clare Beddor and both her murderers are in the house! And Rhys is just keeping his head down eating shit food lol. Peak awkwardness.
- Bro…Cassian is straight up imprinting on Nesta right now. He wants that mating bond BAD.
- Just two rooms? I bet Rhys and Feyre get the room with just one bed.
- LOL Rhys just side steps the awkwardness with his multi-dimensional closet, that's super handy
- “Nesta is a delight, by the way.” Bahaha I think deep down in his heart of hearts he knows Nesta has a hold on Cassian and he’ll be seeing a lot more of her
- Lol they're talking wages now? And they have banks??? Lines of credit? What's the APR on that Velaris Platinum card?
- Awww Rhys is butt hurt that he missed Feyre's birthday…I'm sure he'll make up for it somehow. Maybe his mother's ring???
- “My money's on Nesta…So’s mine.” LOL put me down for a dime on Nesta as well
- FINALLY some element bending training.
- Feyre wants to train in private because Rhys is a distraction? Lol if that doesn't scream I'm into you I don't know what is
- “You could try rubbing it on certain body parts and I might come faster.” Hahahaha bro why don't Rhys and Lucien get along? These guys have the same snarkiness
- Oh cool, some inter-dimensional pen writing, NBD
- “I'm watching Cassian and Nesta get into it again over their tea.” lol can we get a chapter on this interaction? That sounds better than reading about Feyre staring at a candle for an hour and not asking for help
- “Life is better when you're around.” I mean, how long is this little Do-Si-Do between them gonna last? Just kith already
- OH SHIT it's the Attor!
2024.05.19 09:45 PatientFrame5052 Am at the same place i was a year ago, physically and mentally, how to win against my own brain??
Sorry for the long paragraph. I don't know which community is right. I am new here.
just to give you a bit of background, yes I changed it a little,
I would appreciate it if any of you take the time to read it. it took a lot to share my problems.
So, um when I was in class 8. We have a board exam that year. So I kinda started my year with a banger. I was studying more attentively. I was being more present in class. I was answering questions. I never answer unless the teacher picks me, which rarely happens. I am a good student. This makes me a bit arrogant, cuz if I got such decent results by not even properly studying, I don't need to stress. So yeah. My year was going super good. And boom covid fucking started. And even tho I was super studying. I am way too lazy too. Now that we were in lockdown. I completely abandoned my books. Forget studying. I was on my phone all day. Like actually all day. To give a bit more info. Class 8 has a board exam. Class 9,10 are studied with the same books, it's where we choose majors like science, commerce, and arts, I was a science student. 11,12 is college and we still have majors like science, commerce, and arts, still choose science. After that is uni. Class 8,9 went like this. Then in class 10. We finally went to school. Like I said classes 9, and 10 are the same book. Soo, I didn't touch my book for a year now I know nothing. That went like this. In the class sitting helpless cuz I know nothing. Then my sister told me about her tutor, so me and my friend went to him. He, we will call him C, introduced us to his friend, and we'll call him K who also became our tutor. Side note, I got comfortable with K, way more than C. K was kinda of my motivation, I wanted to make him proud, but I didn't, I failed. I haven't called him in a year. I am so sorry. I didn't want to disappoint you of all people. But I did.
I think since all I did during lockdown was be on my phone I am still kind of stuck at that age in some ways, mentally. I am almost 18. I was 13 when COVID started. Me and my mum were in some bad blood at that time, probably she asking me to study, but I not. Other than studying for my tutor's homework. I didn't touch my books enough. Suddenly it was exam time. It was a fucking board exam. It would decide my college. To be honest, even at that point I don't think I ever realized the importance, the gravity of the exam. I was prepared I'd say 60%. And yeah. when it was exam time, she became all affectionate. Bringing me milk, stay with me at night. You better believe I fucking hated that. I wanted to be alone. she didn't leave me alone. She was in my room. I hated her sooo much at that time. Just leave me alone na. So just to fucking spite her I didn't study until she was here. I would be on my phone and phone and she still wouldn't leave so I went to study at around 1 or 2 at night. In case you couldn't tell I was heavily dependent on my phone at that time just to well forget what's happening in my life. I kinda got addicted, maybe. So even if I was watching videos I was making plans about how I would study and all. In my head. I was preparing myself mentally. Guess who it took to crash all of this down. Yes, my one and only mum. While I was encouraging myself and all, my mum would come and be like you don't study, look at the maid's daughter doing much better than you ever will. My luck was this bad that I was your mum and all that shit. My maa always talks about how she didn't have to worry about me ever cuz I did everything myself. I don't understand what she thinks this will make me feel. Maybe I didn't want to do shit alone. Now that I truly want to be left alone, yall up my ass.
You think I will study now. Hell, nahh. So I didn't. Some day I went to my exam after barely reading the book at around 8. My exam starts at 10. Yeahhh. good times. It went like this all exam season. Of course, I didn't do well. I got a GPA of 4.52. Of course, I wasted all my free time for 6 months after the exam. I bed rotted the whole 6 months and more. I put on a lot of weight. Soo, I got very insecure. So when me and my friends went to the same tutor I also went there. But suddenly everything was new. I couldn't get past if I went like I was before. I went for a month maybe. I got behind them. I got so scared and insecure. All of them got into the government college there. Only I didn't. I got more insecure being there. I felt like I couldn't catch up even if I tried. So I did what I am best at. Run away. The college started with me bed rotting. I put on a lil more weight. I got even more insecure. It's been almost a year since then, I can count the times I went. Not more than a week. And the half-yearly exam, I failed it's my fault. I didn't study. Only time was passing by. I still am where I was a year ago. In my bed rotting. I haven't touched them, my textbooks, I mean it, they are still brand new. Now my final is in a month. I am still in my bed rotting. I just am soo insecure with my weight and study now. I can't bring myself to study. I feel like I already failed. More my mum started staying with me cuz it's hella hot. I felt like me studying would make her win. I would lose the battle I started. My brain is like unless someone tells me step-by-step detailed instructions on how to do life, I can't do shit. What do I do?? I am so lost mentally. I am just soo scared that I will be the one left behind. I mean I already am. My friends are not mine anymore. I am just one of many of theirs. I fear I would be left behind to rot. I know I am not some saint. I know what I am doing isn't what I of all people should be doing. But how do I win against my brain? It's like if I can't catch up with everyone in a day then it isn't worth trying. If I can't lose that weight, it isn't worth trying. What do I do?? I can't go to a gym. Can't jog or stuff. My mother becomes angsty if I starve. What do I do? Sometimes I just want to disappear for a while.
truth be told, I have no motivation. I don't have anyone, I am willing to work for, not even myself, parents, a better life, everything I dreamt of, future, nothing seems worthy. the only thing I can do is daydream. I understand I am not hardworking as much as I should be. I am quite privileged in life. but I don't know what to do. I am like a sponge, I am all my environment is. I don't want to do this anymore. I hate myself like this. I want to change. I like studying. I like knowing things. I just physically can't bring myself to do the necessary things. it feels like I already lost, I can never catch up. it's upon me to get into a good fucking university, even if I plan to go abroad for higher study.. see I have soo many dreams, yet I can't bring myself to work for them. it's like I am being physically stopped. I am just waiting for something to happen that will be the push I need, but I fear it will be too late then. it's my life I don't need a reason to change myself, especially when I know that this version is doing me more damage than good. I guess it seems from the fact that others know this version, and change is terrifying, especially when you are alone. I am always jealous of the people that have somebody to look up to. I have a lot to add. But I just need to do this it's been 2 days since I wrote it. Sorry if there are any typos. Thank you, if you took the time to read all that. -♡♡
submitted by PatientFrame5052 to selfimprovement [link] [comments]
just to give you a bit of background, yes I changed it a little,
I would appreciate it if any of you take the time to read it. it took a lot to share my problems.
So, um when I was in class 8. We have a board exam that year. So I kinda started my year with a banger. I was studying more attentively. I was being more present in class. I was answering questions. I never answer unless the teacher picks me, which rarely happens. I am a good student. This makes me a bit arrogant, cuz if I got such decent results by not even properly studying, I don't need to stress. So yeah. My year was going super good. And boom covid fucking started. And even tho I was super studying. I am way too lazy too. Now that we were in lockdown. I completely abandoned my books. Forget studying. I was on my phone all day. Like actually all day. To give a bit more info. Class 8 has a board exam. Class 9,10 are studied with the same books, it's where we choose majors like science, commerce, and arts, I was a science student. 11,12 is college and we still have majors like science, commerce, and arts, still choose science. After that is uni. Class 8,9 went like this. Then in class 10. We finally went to school. Like I said classes 9, and 10 are the same book. Soo, I didn't touch my book for a year now I know nothing. That went like this. In the class sitting helpless cuz I know nothing. Then my sister told me about her tutor, so me and my friend went to him. He, we will call him C, introduced us to his friend, and we'll call him K who also became our tutor. Side note, I got comfortable with K, way more than C. K was kinda of my motivation, I wanted to make him proud, but I didn't, I failed. I haven't called him in a year. I am so sorry. I didn't want to disappoint you of all people. But I did.
I think since all I did during lockdown was be on my phone I am still kind of stuck at that age in some ways, mentally. I am almost 18. I was 13 when COVID started. Me and my mum were in some bad blood at that time, probably she asking me to study, but I not. Other than studying for my tutor's homework. I didn't touch my books enough. Suddenly it was exam time. It was a fucking board exam. It would decide my college. To be honest, even at that point I don't think I ever realized the importance, the gravity of the exam. I was prepared I'd say 60%. And yeah. when it was exam time, she became all affectionate. Bringing me milk, stay with me at night. You better believe I fucking hated that. I wanted to be alone. she didn't leave me alone. She was in my room. I hated her sooo much at that time. Just leave me alone na. So just to fucking spite her I didn't study until she was here. I would be on my phone and phone and she still wouldn't leave so I went to study at around 1 or 2 at night. In case you couldn't tell I was heavily dependent on my phone at that time just to well forget what's happening in my life. I kinda got addicted, maybe. So even if I was watching videos I was making plans about how I would study and all. In my head. I was preparing myself mentally. Guess who it took to crash all of this down. Yes, my one and only mum. While I was encouraging myself and all, my mum would come and be like you don't study, look at the maid's daughter doing much better than you ever will. My luck was this bad that I was your mum and all that shit. My maa always talks about how she didn't have to worry about me ever cuz I did everything myself. I don't understand what she thinks this will make me feel. Maybe I didn't want to do shit alone. Now that I truly want to be left alone, yall up my ass.
You think I will study now. Hell, nahh. So I didn't. Some day I went to my exam after barely reading the book at around 8. My exam starts at 10. Yeahhh. good times. It went like this all exam season. Of course, I didn't do well. I got a GPA of 4.52. Of course, I wasted all my free time for 6 months after the exam. I bed rotted the whole 6 months and more. I put on a lot of weight. Soo, I got very insecure. So when me and my friends went to the same tutor I also went there. But suddenly everything was new. I couldn't get past if I went like I was before. I went for a month maybe. I got behind them. I got so scared and insecure. All of them got into the government college there. Only I didn't. I got more insecure being there. I felt like I couldn't catch up even if I tried. So I did what I am best at. Run away. The college started with me bed rotting. I put on a lil more weight. I got even more insecure. It's been almost a year since then, I can count the times I went. Not more than a week. And the half-yearly exam, I failed it's my fault. I didn't study. Only time was passing by. I still am where I was a year ago. In my bed rotting. I haven't touched them, my textbooks, I mean it, they are still brand new. Now my final is in a month. I am still in my bed rotting. I just am soo insecure with my weight and study now. I can't bring myself to study. I feel like I already failed. More my mum started staying with me cuz it's hella hot. I felt like me studying would make her win. I would lose the battle I started. My brain is like unless someone tells me step-by-step detailed instructions on how to do life, I can't do shit. What do I do?? I am so lost mentally. I am just soo scared that I will be the one left behind. I mean I already am. My friends are not mine anymore. I am just one of many of theirs. I fear I would be left behind to rot. I know I am not some saint. I know what I am doing isn't what I of all people should be doing. But how do I win against my brain? It's like if I can't catch up with everyone in a day then it isn't worth trying. If I can't lose that weight, it isn't worth trying. What do I do?? I can't go to a gym. Can't jog or stuff. My mother becomes angsty if I starve. What do I do? Sometimes I just want to disappear for a while.
truth be told, I have no motivation. I don't have anyone, I am willing to work for, not even myself, parents, a better life, everything I dreamt of, future, nothing seems worthy. the only thing I can do is daydream. I understand I am not hardworking as much as I should be. I am quite privileged in life. but I don't know what to do. I am like a sponge, I am all my environment is. I don't want to do this anymore. I hate myself like this. I want to change. I like studying. I like knowing things. I just physically can't bring myself to do the necessary things. it feels like I already lost, I can never catch up. it's upon me to get into a good fucking university, even if I plan to go abroad for higher study.. see I have soo many dreams, yet I can't bring myself to work for them. it's like I am being physically stopped. I am just waiting for something to happen that will be the push I need, but I fear it will be too late then. it's my life I don't need a reason to change myself, especially when I know that this version is doing me more damage than good. I guess it seems from the fact that others know this version, and change is terrifying, especially when you are alone. I am always jealous of the people that have somebody to look up to. I have a lot to add. But I just need to do this it's been 2 days since I wrote it. Sorry if there are any typos. Thank you, if you took the time to read all that. -♡♡
2024.05.19 09:22 HymnoftheBrokenMan Week from hell Pt2
I chug what little nasty warm energy drink I got left sitting in the consul of my truck and head to the ER. I get there and they have a room for me almost immediately. I sit there in agony as they get the info they need. Que the Dr. she walks in sees my face and looks at my BP 187/113 just says… “I’m really glad you came in” (I low key think this is funny cause the way I dress and talk I thought of all the farmers memes about them going in and Dr.s instantly freaking out over it)
I instantly get hit with morphine and finally pass out for a-little. An hour passes they get me into a holding room for admitted patients. Then hit me with more morphine once it’s safe. I’m in and out of consciousness, they keep hitting me with pain killers and my BP is finally around a stable level 130-150/ 60-90. The pain is still there but the stress response is gone. They finally get me to my room maybe 4-5 hours after admission. Whole time I’ve been getting hit with morphine and finally IV antibiotics as well as some type of steroid. ENT Doc comes immediately says “listen… the IV antibiotics are going to stop the spread right now but your eye is already becoming inflamed and you have a huge abscess. Suggests he drain it, and no fucking shit I’m all for it. An hour passes or so it’s around 2:45p they roll me into surgery. Hit me with fucking fentanyl and I’m fucking gone. Wake up and the pain is gone the pressure too I’m floating… and can’t fucking swallow for about 30 minutes. (Fuck it beats the agony.)
This was fucking Tuesday… Wednesday was spent all in the hospital but because of bed space they ask if they can discharge me. Tell me to stay with the antibiotics I got and I’m free. (On this front I’m finally clear.)
I get home. Instantly I’m met with demands from my wife. I try to fulfill them but I’m fucked. Entire fucking time she’s locating about how I need to rest but pushing me in all the directions. My puppy who is an absolute snuggle tyrant causes chaos whining at night so I wander downstairs where he stays over night and end up sleeping down there keeping her calm. Occasionally woken up to a cold nose but n the leg.
Next day. Also may I add my mom came up in a fury to help out even though she has nearly no PTO and it’s the busy time of year for a corn geneticist. (They plant and do shit at weird times). My wife disappears for the first time this whole experience. (Please note also on top of all this shit my infant son has been home sick from daycare) my mom hold my little tyrant all day keeping him happy. I finally get some rest slept about 6 hours that night and then 7 during the day. I wake up and try to be social as possible. My son appears to be doing better so my sickly mother in law comes over. To help out, I’m awake and able to do things alike be it very slowly.
submitted by HymnoftheBrokenMan to u/HymnoftheBrokenMan [link] [comments]
I instantly get hit with morphine and finally pass out for a-little. An hour passes they get me into a holding room for admitted patients. Then hit me with more morphine once it’s safe. I’m in and out of consciousness, they keep hitting me with pain killers and my BP is finally around a stable level 130-150/ 60-90. The pain is still there but the stress response is gone. They finally get me to my room maybe 4-5 hours after admission. Whole time I’ve been getting hit with morphine and finally IV antibiotics as well as some type of steroid. ENT Doc comes immediately says “listen… the IV antibiotics are going to stop the spread right now but your eye is already becoming inflamed and you have a huge abscess. Suggests he drain it, and no fucking shit I’m all for it. An hour passes or so it’s around 2:45p they roll me into surgery. Hit me with fucking fentanyl and I’m fucking gone. Wake up and the pain is gone the pressure too I’m floating… and can’t fucking swallow for about 30 minutes. (Fuck it beats the agony.)
This was fucking Tuesday… Wednesday was spent all in the hospital but because of bed space they ask if they can discharge me. Tell me to stay with the antibiotics I got and I’m free. (On this front I’m finally clear.)
I get home. Instantly I’m met with demands from my wife. I try to fulfill them but I’m fucked. Entire fucking time she’s locating about how I need to rest but pushing me in all the directions. My puppy who is an absolute snuggle tyrant causes chaos whining at night so I wander downstairs where he stays over night and end up sleeping down there keeping her calm. Occasionally woken up to a cold nose but n the leg.
Next day. Also may I add my mom came up in a fury to help out even though she has nearly no PTO and it’s the busy time of year for a corn geneticist. (They plant and do shit at weird times). My wife disappears for the first time this whole experience. (Please note also on top of all this shit my infant son has been home sick from daycare) my mom hold my little tyrant all day keeping him happy. I finally get some rest slept about 6 hours that night and then 7 during the day. I wake up and try to be social as possible. My son appears to be doing better so my sickly mother in law comes over. To help out, I’m awake and able to do things alike be it very slowly.
2024.05.19 09:19 ProstMeister So, I just upgraded my workhorse from MK3S to MK3.5
The upgrade is definitely worth it. It took me more or less 7 hours to disassemble the old printer, install the upgrade kit, and perform the 1st test print. If you carefully (and I mean, REALLY CAREFULLY) read the instructions, the process goes nice and smooth. Reading the comments also helps.
I didn't use the pre-sliced models for MK3.5 on the USB thumbdrive, as they failed mid-print because the machine switched off the hot end roughly at 50% of the printing process, resulting in an aborted print.
Printing speed is dramatically improved, especially when dealing with objects requiring a lot of X-Y movements: printing speed difference between MK3 and MK3.5 are especially significant with wide and flat objects rather than thin and tall ones.
Even though the printer is now twice as fast, the print quality is the same as before, if not even better: I can see less artifacts on vertical surfaces than before.
The added features are absolutely game changers, especially PrusaConnect and PrusaLink: being able to monitor the printing process wherever I am, and finally being free from SD card fiddling has no price. You can also flash the printer firmware directly from PrusaConnect!
The printer is also quieter than before: since it now prints with input shaping, there's no resonances between axes such as the ones I used to hear before, especially during X-Y combined movements. Also, as motors spin way much faster, the noise it makes is higher pitched.
However, this is not only bells and whistles. I had some issues after the upgrade: as the machine is really being pushed to its limits, if it's not in perfect shape, you may experience problems.
Here are the drawbacks I had:
submitted by ProstMeister to prusa3d [link] [comments]
I didn't use the pre-sliced models for MK3.5 on the USB thumbdrive, as they failed mid-print because the machine switched off the hot end roughly at 50% of the printing process, resulting in an aborted print.
Printing speed is dramatically improved, especially when dealing with objects requiring a lot of X-Y movements: printing speed difference between MK3 and MK3.5 are especially significant with wide and flat objects rather than thin and tall ones.
Even though the printer is now twice as fast, the print quality is the same as before, if not even better: I can see less artifacts on vertical surfaces than before.
The added features are absolutely game changers, especially PrusaConnect and PrusaLink: being able to monitor the printing process wherever I am, and finally being free from SD card fiddling has no price. You can also flash the printer firmware directly from PrusaConnect!
The printer is also quieter than before: since it now prints with input shaping, there's no resonances between axes such as the ones I used to hear before, especially during X-Y combined movements. Also, as motors spin way much faster, the noise it makes is higher pitched.
However, this is not only bells and whistles. I had some issues after the upgrade: as the machine is really being pushed to its limits, if it's not in perfect shape, you may experience problems.
Here are the drawbacks I had:
- I wasn't able to unload the filament anymore, it got badly stuck. My PTFE tube was worn out, but this has never been a problem with the old unloading routine. With the new one, though, the printer does an initial "ramming" and pushes the filament hard through the nozzle; it does this to get the filament end a better shape and to save filament when changing color (you need to purge less filament than before to get the right color after the change), but this ramming caused the filament to get stuck into the hot end. I solved this problem by replacing the PTFE tube.
- I had to install a silicone sock onto the hot end because the tool head now moves so fast that it struggles to keep the right nozzle temperature.
- I still have an issue with the 1st level calibration: as soon as you add a 2nd sheet profile, on the right side of the bed (~5 cm) the filament gets squashed so badly that the nozzle crashes onto the sheet, scratching it. I've reseated all the heatbed screws, it didn't help. I've been in contact with PrusaSupport and they told me that this has been heard before and it's probably a firmware bug (yet to be officially confirmed). I temporarily deal with this problem by not using the standard 1st level calibration.I print an 80x80x0.2 mm square instead.
2024.05.19 08:58 Efficient-Item605 I hate my husband
Yeah, I think I hate my husband. He just can be biggest jerk ever. So, we are planning a trip to the beach for my birthday (we do have an agreement that for our birthday we can ask anything and we will use our money to get it, I said since the beginning what I want is a trip) we are taking advantage of some flights he is getting for free because he is going to the same place for work. So, we booked our Airbnb tonight and I wanted to go eat to this restaurant for my birthday but he told me 2 weeks ago he will have to work on my birthday until 2-2:30pm. I said ok, it’s fine. Then today when I wanted to make the reservation for the restaurant I was thinking out loud and said “I wonder if it’s smart to make the reservation at the restaurant since you compromised to work on my birthday, I’m worried we will not make it on time”… dude got up and got so so mad and starting saying shit and walked away. I stayed there thinking what the heck? Then I got up and I asked him to take the trash out. He ignored me, I called him and asked him again to take the trash out he started saying stuff “why? How is that going to make anything difference on taking it tonight and tomorrow…” I said it was smelling funny and I didn’t want that smell in the house. I was about to take it but he came mad and took the trash out. Then came back inside and started acting upset and I got upset bc I was “what’s the problem?” I brushed my teeth and did all my night routine, dude got in bed and “went to sleep” and I asked him… “what are you so mad about?” He didn’t respond and I said so “you’re just gonna act like that?” “What did I do for you to be mad?” The argument started, he said I told him he “compromised to work on My birthday” bc I was mad, I was trying to make him feel bad, and I was upset about it. I wasn’t upset about it. I was just thinking out loud about the restaurant reservations, so I said, how was I mad when I said that you compromised to work on my birthday? He said then why would you say it? My response was im just thinking out loud, and then he said no you were not. You were saying it because you were mad about it … and we just kept arguing because I really didn’t understand why he is so mad about… Take into consideration that English is not my first language, and I am not from here, so he looked up on Google what compromise means and then he told me that compromise means you doing something that you don’t want to do, even though the understanding for me in my native language means that you agreed to work on that day or do something bc you’re being responsible. He always thinks the worse of me so I wasn’t impressed…and I am here still not understanding what I did wrong. He said that nothing is never enough for me, he started “crying” and mocking me saying “oh poor girl she is going to the beach for her birthday, poor her poor her” and I got very offended at the fact he was mocking me because I never said that going to the beach was not enough and I was not mad about him working but he just kept being upset about it and I was trying to understand and I asked him to explain how me telling him that I was worried about the restaurant and if I should make a reservation was bad. Anyways, he is a jerk. He is always a jerk and he always makes fun of me. He always uses adjectives about me. He told me many many times that he is done and he wants a divorce and I honestly don’t feel heard in this relationship, I don’t feel loved. I don’t feel happy and I am very very miserable. I cry a lot because I hate his jerk comments and I hate the way that he is sometimes, he can be very cocky, have smart ass comments about me and about what I do, he also makes fun of me and my accent in front of people, he also uses me like his little guinea pig to make jokes of me with his friends or with new people, and then he says he loves my culture, and he loves me. I’ve been thinking about divorcing him, I’ve been contemplating the idea on moving out and just going to live by myself, but I feel lonely and I feel scared because I’m alone in this country. I am not worried about being alone and being responsible for myself because believe it or not me as an immigrant make more money that he makes, I have two jobs, I am a very hard-working person, I am a good wife, I keep the house clean, do the laundry, make sure he always has food and I don’t do this because I think it’s my obligation as a woman but because I really care about him, so the fact that he just treated me the way that he does it just breaks my heart because I think i still love him. I am also embarrassed and scared of calling my family and my mother…Tell them all the truth because I always told them that he is a good man and he loves me very well, but they don’t know that he is an asshole a lot of times, and it’s funny that I heard from his high school friends that they told me many times “why did you marry him?” “ What did you see in him” they even told him “what did you do to get someone so good like her, what did you do to get so lucky” His friends like me, I have a great relationship with most of his friends. I am just now thinking he’s always being a jerk. He’s never going to change that’s just the way that he is. Do you guys have any advice? Should I leave him? I know I am not perfect, but he hates the fact that I want to cuddle, he hates the fact that I want to be Sweet, he hates the fact that I want to be cheesy, he is not at all detailist, he never gives me flowers, presents, surprises, anything that is cheesy for him is always a no-no, we don’t do anything that Married couples do, anniversaries,surprises, etc… I don’t think he loves me, even though he sometimes says he loves me, but he loves me only when I agree with everything that he says or has to do or don’t get close to Him, don’t ask him anything, don’t expect Anything… How do I get a divorce? how do I make sure that, I get all my money and everything that is mine like my car and he doesn’t take it away from me? I don’t want to Spend all my savings in lawyers. I hate being with him and hate his personality, I love how creative and smart he can be sometimes but I hate him as a person.
submitted by Efficient-Item605 to offmychest [link] [comments]
2024.05.19 08:50 perpetualbookworm Passed Step 1 on the second attempt
As the title says, I passed step 1 on the second attempt. After I failed, I scoured reddit for other "redemption" posts, but there are far and few. So, for those people who, like me, failed on the first attempt and are looking for a piece of hope on the internet - this is for you.
I'll to keep it brief - I'm a US-IMG, started prep in April 2023, gave my first attempt in November 2023. I did 80% UW by then, and I had given nbmes 25, 26, 27, 29, 30 and 31 (all online, 27 was the only offline one I did) by September, and they ranged from 45 - 55% but, I felt like my main problem was recalling information. So from September to November I worked on revising and reviewing the nbmes.
The thing is, I was super burnt out by November, and I didn't revise as well as I should've. I ended up getting a tonnnn of neuroanatomy questions and some GIT questions which I really muddled up. I also got a lot of antimicrobial qs, which I wasn't very strong in.
I got the F, cried, had no idea what to do. But my parents pushed me to give another attempt and so i restarted prep.
December and Jan, i went through BnB for Neuro and GIT, and started UWorld again. Did about 40-80 qs per day, and this time i made sure to do 100% of the question bank. I think doing the questions multiple times helped me retain the informtion better, becuase mugging up from the book was not working for me.
Feb onwards began dedicated prep, i took the Amboss SA first - scored a 204. Took the Lecuturio test 3wks after that, got a 217. So, not bad but still in the low pass area. I then started taking all the nbmes again, but this time i wrote down why I thought it was the answer along with the answer option. This helped me understand whether I was guessing/remembering the answer, or if I actually knew the concepts. In these nbmes I scored 66-70%
In the end of March i took Nbme 28 which was compeltely new - got a 67%. I realised that i felt okay with my prep, i could see the improvement in myself, and decided to book the exam for April 24th.
The last one month was the crucial period for me. I didnt want a repeat of the first attempt so i made sure to keep studying, even when i didnt want to. I made a huge spreadsheet of each NBME topic, wrote down the typical clinica history that is seen in the topics, and the related qs that are being asked (like, what enzyme, what drug, etc etc). I used UWorld to search for the topics, and read through all the questions that came up to get an idea.
I realised that in the first attempt, i was just looking to get the answer right; this time i made sure i know why the other answers were wrong, and tried to recall what the question stem wouldve been like if the other options were the answer. This kind of changed the game for me, and i think is what definitely made me pass. Ive always been a bad test taker, and always sucked at eliminating options - so developing that skill was the key.
I took free 120 new - got a 73% and prayed that id pass the real deal. Wrote the exam on 4/24, the exam was shit. I could tell the question pool had changed, the ethics qs were sucky af and the stats (which i pride myself on being an expert in) were so weird. I definitely felt like i was gonna fail and proceeded to spend the next 3 weeks wallowing on my bed. But luckily, the odds and gods seemed to be in my favor and i ended up passing.
TL;DR My resources:
UWorld, NBMES, Mehlman PDFs (went thru all subjects, but i read the HY Arrows and Neuroanat pdf 3 times) I also used Amboss for ethics and psych/substance abuse questions (becuase id done the UW questions multiple times already, wanted a new source to test myself)
What i did differently the second time: did 100% UW, reviewed all nbme topics and whatever topics i felt were important by trying to understand what the main clinical pictures would be like, and focussed on being 100% confident in eliminating the options, not just recognizing the rignt answer.
Failing sucks, and its really hard to pick yourself up, but the way I looked at it was - the best thing that could happen is that I pass. The worst thing is that I fail, and I already did that, so what's one more time? Lol. Anyway, good luck and you got this.
submitted by perpetualbookworm to step1 [link] [comments]
I'll to keep it brief - I'm a US-IMG, started prep in April 2023, gave my first attempt in November 2023. I did 80% UW by then, and I had given nbmes 25, 26, 27, 29, 30 and 31 (all online, 27 was the only offline one I did) by September, and they ranged from 45 - 55% but, I felt like my main problem was recalling information. So from September to November I worked on revising and reviewing the nbmes.
The thing is, I was super burnt out by November, and I didn't revise as well as I should've. I ended up getting a tonnnn of neuroanatomy questions and some GIT questions which I really muddled up. I also got a lot of antimicrobial qs, which I wasn't very strong in.
I got the F, cried, had no idea what to do. But my parents pushed me to give another attempt and so i restarted prep.
December and Jan, i went through BnB for Neuro and GIT, and started UWorld again. Did about 40-80 qs per day, and this time i made sure to do 100% of the question bank. I think doing the questions multiple times helped me retain the informtion better, becuase mugging up from the book was not working for me.
Feb onwards began dedicated prep, i took the Amboss SA first - scored a 204. Took the Lecuturio test 3wks after that, got a 217. So, not bad but still in the low pass area. I then started taking all the nbmes again, but this time i wrote down why I thought it was the answer along with the answer option. This helped me understand whether I was guessing/remembering the answer, or if I actually knew the concepts. In these nbmes I scored 66-70%
In the end of March i took Nbme 28 which was compeltely new - got a 67%. I realised that i felt okay with my prep, i could see the improvement in myself, and decided to book the exam for April 24th.
The last one month was the crucial period for me. I didnt want a repeat of the first attempt so i made sure to keep studying, even when i didnt want to. I made a huge spreadsheet of each NBME topic, wrote down the typical clinica history that is seen in the topics, and the related qs that are being asked (like, what enzyme, what drug, etc etc). I used UWorld to search for the topics, and read through all the questions that came up to get an idea.
I realised that in the first attempt, i was just looking to get the answer right; this time i made sure i know why the other answers were wrong, and tried to recall what the question stem wouldve been like if the other options were the answer. This kind of changed the game for me, and i think is what definitely made me pass. Ive always been a bad test taker, and always sucked at eliminating options - so developing that skill was the key.
I took free 120 new - got a 73% and prayed that id pass the real deal. Wrote the exam on 4/24, the exam was shit. I could tell the question pool had changed, the ethics qs were sucky af and the stats (which i pride myself on being an expert in) were so weird. I definitely felt like i was gonna fail and proceeded to spend the next 3 weeks wallowing on my bed. But luckily, the odds and gods seemed to be in my favor and i ended up passing.
TL;DR My resources:
UWorld, NBMES, Mehlman PDFs (went thru all subjects, but i read the HY Arrows and Neuroanat pdf 3 times) I also used Amboss for ethics and psych/substance abuse questions (becuase id done the UW questions multiple times already, wanted a new source to test myself)
What i did differently the second time: did 100% UW, reviewed all nbme topics and whatever topics i felt were important by trying to understand what the main clinical pictures would be like, and focussed on being 100% confident in eliminating the options, not just recognizing the rignt answer.
Failing sucks, and its really hard to pick yourself up, but the way I looked at it was - the best thing that could happen is that I pass. The worst thing is that I fail, and I already did that, so what's one more time? Lol. Anyway, good luck and you got this.
2024.05.19 08:48 Significant-Tower146 Best Car Window Shades
 | submitted by Significant-Tower146 to u/Significant-Tower146 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/ekwhzb04yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb7613e33998f25cb9a4781cd4710885b2844dac Welcome to our guide on the best car window shades to keep the sun at bay and protect you and your family from harmful UV rays during your journeys. Discover the latest trends and designs in car window shades that cater to various vehicle models, including sedans and SUVs. Dive into the article to find the perfect fit for your ride, ensuring a comfortable and safe driving experience for all. The Top 11 Best Car Window Shades
Reviews🔗SafeFit Safetemp Car Window Shades (2-Pack)https://preview.redd.it/jzykicg4yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f2ae9f9205619cad854d8e9836f69c200e8f32b I recently had the opportunity to use the SafeFit Safetemp Car Sun Shades, and I can confidently say that they've been a game-changer when it comes to driving with my little one. As a mom who's always on the go, I'm constantly looking for ways to keep my baby comfortable and protected in the car, and these sun shades do just that. One of my favorite features is the easy one-push retract button. It allows me to quickly roll up the shades when we're not using them, which is perfect for those days when the sun decides to disappear mid-afternoon. Additionally, the patented White Hot system that turns white when it's too hot in the car is a brilliant safety feature that gives me peace of mind. However, there are a couple of drawbacks to consider. Some users mentioned that these sun shades are not 100% sun-blocking, and they don't fit full width of certain car windows. Nonetheless, I still find them to be a valuable addition to my car, especially when it's hot outside and I need to protect my baby's skin and eyes from the sun's harmful rays. In conclusion, the SafeFit Safetemp Car Sun Shades are a must-have for any parent looking to keep their little one safe and comfortable while on the road. Despite a few minor cons, the overall experience with these sun shades has been positive, and I would highly recommend them to fellow parents. 🔗Fashionable Palm Tree Windshield Sun Shade for Cars, SUVs, and Truckshttps://preview.redd.it/t8z3ucp4yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=685e6e71926b9091d4edd694438ff6ba4debc7a8 The Auto Drive 2 Count Palm Tree Sunset Universal Twist Sun Shade has been a game-changer in keeping my cars cool and comfy, especially during the scorching summer months. As someone who loves the outdoors and spends a lot of time in the car, I can confidently say this product has made a world of difference. The vibrant tropical print is not only visually appealing but also offers effective protection against UV rays, ensuring my car's interior stays damage-free. Another standout feature is the twist shape which allows for easy storage, fitting perfectly in the trunk or backseat. However, there's one issue that I noticed with this product. It doesn't fit every car perfectly due to its universal size. While it works great for my SUV and other larger vehicles, it doesn't cover the entire windshield in smaller cars like the Ford Focus. Despite this minor inconvenience, I would highly recommend the Auto Drive 2 Count Palm Tree Sunset Universal Twist Sun Shade to anyone looking to keep their vehicle cool and comfortable during the hot summer months. 🔗2019 Ford F-150 SuperCab Full Vehicle TechShadehttps://preview.redd.it/rljfaq25yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a62bbb74dc039986429ebe51df940070ea82f92 I recently got the WeatherTech TechShade Full Vehicle Kit for my car, and I must say, it's truly a game-changer. Living in a hot climate, keeping my car cool has always been a challenge. But with these shades, it's become a lot easier. Firstly, the shades are custom-fit, which means they perfectly match the dimensions of my vehicle's windows. This feature is particularly useful because it ensures that no sunlight can sneak in through any gaps. The shades also stay snug in each window opening, which is a testament to their quality. And when I need to use the car, I can easily roll them up and store them using the convenient hook and loop strap. Another aspect I appreciate is the foam core feature. It makes the shades easy to handle and gives them a sturdy fit. Plus, it prevents them from rattling when the car is in motion. However, there is one drawback. The shades are quite bulky when rolled up, which can be an issue if you don't have much storage space. But overall, I'm extremely satisfied with my purchase. It's definitely worth the investment, especially if you live in a hot climate like me. 🔗Car Sunshade for Style and Protectionhttps://preview.redd.it/r55uxbl5yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f6abb366e918ba80e37b93713744541a60f448c I recently got the Genuine Dickies Classic Accordion Universal Black Sport Sunshade, and I have to say it's been a game-changer for my vehicle. Not only does it protect my car interior from harmful UV rays, but it also helps keep my vehicle surface temperature 44’F/25’C cooler on those hot summer days. One of the things that really stood out to me about this sunshade is its retro design. The black sun-deflecting background with black vegan leather accents and white stitching give it a classic, yet sporty look. It's definitely a step up from the flimsy sunshades I've used in the past. The sunshade is made of high-quality materials and has a sturdy construction. It unfolds easily and secures in place by your windshield visors. What's really convenient is that it comes with its own closure strap, making storage a breeze. However, it's worth noting that the sunshade may not fit perfectly in all types of vehicles. As mentioned in some reviews, it might be too large for some cars or SUVs. Therefore, it's crucial to measure your windshield before purchasing to ensure the best fit. Overall, I'm highly impressed with the Genuine Dickies Classic Accordion Universal Black Sport Sunshade. It's well-constructed, looks great, and offers excellent protection against the sun's rays. While it may not be a perfect fit for every vehicle, it's definitely worth considering if you're in the market for a sunshade. 🔗Brica Stretch-to-Fit Sun Shade for Carshttps://preview.redd.it/4yovm0u5yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0252909048d5d9f96d50e20a0a113b60dc55bafa Stay protected from glare with the Brica Stretch to Fit Sun Shade, a top-notch travel companion for your car. The Safe-View Mesh feature ensures that your view is unobstructed while keeping harmful UV-A and UV-B rays at bay. It's designed with new and improved suction cup attachments that provide a secure grip on any car window. One feature that really wins me over is its ability to stretch up to nearly double the size, fitting perfectly on any side or rear car window. Plus, it comes with snaps along the perimeter that help in tailoring the shade to any window shape and size. The material used in this sunshade is premium, keeping it durable and functional for long car rides, especially with little ones in tow. Its visual appeal complements the interiors of your vehicle while offering superior sun protection. I would highly recommend this sunshade, especially for families with large windows in their cars such as SUVs, trucks, and minivans. It's great for those who want to keep the sun off while still maintaining a clear view from the car. However, do ensure to clean the window thoroughly before installation for maximum grip. In my experience, one minor issue was the need to readjust the suction cups occasionally, but this was easily manageable. Overall, the Brica Stretch to Fit Sun Shade has been a reliable and efficient addition to my car, providing a comfortable ride for all my passengers. Considering both pros and cons, this sunshade is definitely worth a try, especially if you prioritize safety and comfort on long car journeys. 🔗Durable Car Sunshade Umbrella for Protecting and Coolinghttps://preview.redd.it/iceume86yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=63c27bd12ddf80182ff2b665b96d496c9043b698 I recently purchased Jasvic's Car Windshield Sun Shade Umbrella to protect my car from the harsh summer heat. This umbrella-shaped sunshade folds up like an umbrella, making it incredibly convenient to store in my car. I was a bit hesitant about using this design initially, being more familiar with the traditional folding shades, but its compactness and ease of installation quickly won me over. The sturdy high-hardness steel frame adds a strong sense of durability to the sunshade, providing protection against UV rays, heat, snow, and fog. This ensures that my car remains safe and undamaged throughout the changing seasons. I also appreciate how it creates a comfortable, cool driving environment while also shielding my car's electronics and seats from sun damage. Unfolding the sunshade and fitting it into the windshield is a breeze. However, I did learn the hard way that proper maneuvering is necessary to prevent scratches on my car's dashboard. Overall, this product stands out for its durability, versatility, and convenience, making it a must-have for anyone looking to protect their car and enhance their driving experience. 🔗WeatherTech TechShade Full Vehicle Kit for 2019 Ford F-150 SuperCab (Silver & Black)https://preview.redd.it/kjvx4fn6yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d04fceee8b442ca14293b841acd17aff6d189671 I recently got my hands on the WeatherTech TechShade Full Vehicle Kit, and I must say, it's been a game-changer for my sun protection needs. The highlight of this product is its ability to keep the entire vehicle cooler by blocking out the sun's rays. Before I installed these, I used to dread getting into my car on a hot day. The interior would be sweltering, and it took ages for the air conditioning to cool everything down. But with the TechShade Full Vehicle Kit, my car stays significantly cooler. In fact, it feels much more bearable to get in and out of my vehicle now. Another feature that I absolutely love about this product is how custom-fit it is. When properly installed, each piece fits snugly in the window openings of my vehicle. This ensures that no light or heat is seeping in from the sides, which is exactly what I wanted. However, there is one part of the installation process that could use some improvement. The front windshield piece tends to sag a little, especially if you have a tinted windshield. Thankfully, this isn't a deal-breaker for me, but it would be nice to see this aspect of the design refined in future models. Overall, I am extremely satisfied with my purchase of the WeatherTech TechShade Full Vehicle Kit. It's definitely worth the investment if you want to keep your vehicle cool and protected from the harmful effects of the sun. 🔗TechShade Windshield Sun Shade for 2019 Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cabhttps://preview.redd.it/m8s8hqw6yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd43fd83536fe3b7c371554e52fff3a3dd18f1cb The TechShade Full Vehicle Kit has been a game-changer for me during those sweltering summer days and chilly winters. I love how this custom-fit sunshade can be easily installed on my windshield and windows, keeping my car's interior cool and protected from the harsh sun. The dual-purpose design of the TechShade really stands out - it absorbs heat in the winter to help keep my car warm and defrost the windshield, while also reflecting sunlight in the summer to prevent my steering wheel and dashboard from getting scalding hot. One particular highlight of this product is its effortless storage. When it's not in use, I can simply roll up the shades and secure them with a strap. The only downside I've encountered is that the full vehicle kit is limited to select vehicles, which might be disappointing for some users. Overall, I have had a great experience with the WeatherTech TechShade Full Vehicle Kit. It's a little pricey, but it's definitely worth the investment for the quality, convenience, and protection it provides for my vehicle. 🔗Easy-to-Apply Twirl Motion Car Window Sun Shade Shieldhttps://preview.redd.it/vzl4gzc7yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bb6f56d3d5741c6f8e469770b2566654c47aa316 As an avid car user, I've always struggled with the harsh midday sun blaring into my car's windows, making it unbearable to drive. That was until I discovered the TFY Car Window Sun Shade Protector Shine Blocker. This little gadget is a game-changer, as it effortlessly blocks glare, heat, and damaging sunlight from infiltrating my car doors' side windows. The best part? It's as easy as twirling to fold or unfold it when needed! The lightweight design is perfect for use on both front and rear door windows, without compromising visibility. I never imagined that a mesh fabric can do such wonders for allowing a clear view of the outside world while keeping the sun's harmful rays away. However, the size of these sunshades can be inconsistent, as some might find them too small, especially for larger vehicles. Another minor issue is that the silicone surface cups can occasionally lose their grip, particularly during humid days. All in all, the TFY Car Window Sun Shade Protector Shine Blocker is a must-have for anyone experiencing the same sun-related issues as I did. Its unique features and relatively affordable price make it an attractive choice for car owners seeking a convenient solution to combat the sun's unwelcome intrusion. 🔗Sock-Style Car Window Shade for Sun Protection and Privacyhttps://preview.redd.it/ghwixxs7yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a80159b2b91d7ecb8c83ef1b54341b099292ce7 As a busy mom, I've always been in search of products that could keep my babies comfortably in the car while driving during the hot summer days. When I came across Magnelex Sock-Style Car Window Shades, I was excited to try it out. This product is incredibly easy to use. The elasticized band stretches to fit over your car door, which completely blocks UV rays from entering the car, ensuring my little ones stay cool and comfortable. The mesh is so fine, I can still enjoy fresh air and a view of the outside without worrying about the sun burning my baby's sensitive skin. However, one thing that could have been better is the size. It's always a guessing game when shopping online, and though I measured my car door accurately, there's still a tiny bit of it left out. But, given that it's designed universally to fit most passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs, it's a small inconvenience for the otherwise excellent sun protection it provides. In terms of installation, I love how there are no adhesives or suction cups involved. The shades just slip over the car doors, and all it takes is a simple pull to remove them. So, while changing cars or wanting to let the sun in, it's really hassle-free. Overall, the Magnelex Sock-Style Car Window Shades have made my car rides much safer and more comfortable for my babies. It's a must-have product for families with infants or pets! 🔗Stylish modern hide a bed chairhttps://preview.redd.it/6etbqab8yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc5e2727d8417d7b48b946ae0914f7075e5803df As a parent, I understand the importance of a comfortable car ride, especially with young, sensitive eyes. That's why I decided to give the Ovege Car Window Shade a try. It promised to protect my baby's eyes from the harsh sun rays and give us much-needed privacy while we're on the road. I was truly impressed by how easy it was to install these shades using the suction magnets provided. However, I did notice they didn't fit perfectly on our car doors, leaving a few gaps. But overall, the shades provided great UV protection and helped maintain a cooler temperature in the car on hot days. A pleasant surprise was the "limo effect" these shades created when we rolled down the windows. Air could still flow freely without exposing us to the sun, making the ride more enjoyable. I must admit, I didn't need to worry about the fit every time I removed and reattached the shades. The strong suction magnets held them in place, and my windows were left unscratched. The one downside I experienced was that the shades didn't cover all the areas of our car windows. This left us with a few spots that let in sunlight. Nevertheless, we found a workaround by adjusting the placement of the shades. In conclusion, the Ovege Car Window Shade has made a significant difference in our car rides, providing us with privacy, UV protection, and a more comfortable driving experience. The pros of this product definitely outweigh the cons, making it a worthwhile addition for any car owner. Buyer's Guidehttps://preview.redd.it/a4yuxiw8yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3e41e0b968ca72db4f27fd6d251b58b6e982a45e None FAQhttps://preview.redd.it/uabstp69yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f78c07821dcf4bd99709d3941ba1607d22547c6 What are the benefits of using car window shades?Car window shades offer several benefits, including reducing glare and heat inside the vehicle, protecting passengers from harmful UV rays, enhancing privacy, and adding a decorative touch to your car's interior.What types of car window shades are available?https://preview.redd.it/fbdo3yj9yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=991f87cd8087c15493b6d9b5389fc619806cafd4 There are various types of car window shades, such as suction cup shades, adhesive-based shades, roller shades, and pop-up shades. Suction cup shades attach directly to the car window, while adhesive-based shades attach with adhesive. Roller shades and pop-up shades are mounted on a rod or wire, allowing them to be pulled up and down manually. How do I choose the right car window shade for my vehicle?When selecting a car window shade, consider factors such as the size of your car windows, the type of shade that fits your vehicle's design, and the amount of sun protection you require. Additionally, think about whether you prefer a shade that can be easily removed or one that stays in place more permanently. https://preview.redd.it/8319n0w9yb1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2df36296204f10427eb1ea7d395a4670e3dda56 How do I install car window shades?Installation methods vary depending on the type of shade you choose. Suction cup shades typically attach directly to the car window, while adhesive-based shades use an adhesive strip to adhere to the window. Roller and pop-up shades come with a mounting kit that allows you to attach the shade to the window using screws or clips.Are there car window shades suitable for rear-facing car seats?Yes, some car window shades are specifically designed to accommodate rear-facing car seats. These shades typically have adjustable mounts, allowing you to position the shade securely above the car seat without obstructing the driver's view.How do I clean and maintain my car window shades?Cleaning and maintaining your car window shades is essential to ensuring they last long and continue to protect your vehicle. To clean, simply use a damp cloth or mild soap to wipe down the shade. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive materials that may damage the shade. For maintenance, periodically inspect the shade for signs of wear or damage, and replace it if necessary.Can I install car window shades on all car windows?While car window shades can be installed on most car windows, there are some limitations to consider. Some states have laws that require at least one side window to remain unobstructed, so you may need to leave one window without a shade. Additionally, some window shades may not fit properly on certain car models, so be sure to verify compatibility before making a purchase.How much do car window shades typically cost?The cost of car window shades can vary depending on factors such as the type of shade, the brand, and the size. Generally, suction cup shades and adhesive-based shades tend to be more affordable, while roller and pop-up shades may be priced higher. Prices can range from around $10 to $50 or more, depending on the features and quality of the shade.As an Amazon™ Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. |
2024.05.19 08:48 OkMetal9804 Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed for Extra Large Dogs w/ Removable Washable Cover, For Dogs Up to 180 lbs Review
Finding the perfect bed for your large dog is no small feat. Comfort, durability, and functionality are paramount, especially when considering our biggest furry friends who need extra support and care. Enter the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed for Extra Large Dogs. Designed with state-of-the-art features, this bed promises to keep your dog cool, comfortable, and well-rested. In this comprehensive review, we’ll dive deep into why this bed is a game-changer for large dog owners.
Ready to give your furry friend the comfort they deserve? Click here to purchase the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed and transform their rest experience today.
submitted by OkMetal9804 to productreviewman [link] [comments]
Key Features of the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed
The Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed isn’t just any dog bed; it's a thoughtfully designed haven for dogs up to 180 lbs. Here’s what sets it apart:- Cooling Gel Technology: This feature ensures that your dog stays cool, especially during those hot summer months or after an intense play session.
- Removable Washable Cover: Hygiene and ease of maintenance are critical. This bed comes with a cover that you can easily remove and wash, ensuring a clean sleeping environment for your pet.
- Supportive and Spacious: With its size accommodating dogs up to 180 lbs, this bed provides ample space and support for larger breeds.
Why a Cooling Bed is Essential for Large Dogs
Combatting Heat and Overheating
Larger dogs often struggle more with heat regulation compared to smaller breeds. Breeds like Mastiffs, Great Danes, and Saint Bernards are particularly prone to overheating. A cooling bed helps dissipate body heat, reducing the risk of heat stroke and providing a comfortable resting spot even in warmer climates.Enhanced Comfort and Joint Support
Cooling beds like the Furhaven not only provide temperature regulation but also support joints and alleviate discomfort from conditions like arthritis. This is crucial for older dogs or breeds known for hip dysplasia.User Experience: What Large Dog Owners Are Saying
Many large dog owners who have invested in the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed share positive experiences:- John D., owner of a 150 lb Great Dane, mentions, "My Dane loves his new bed! The cooling gel works wonders, especially after our long walks. He seems much more relaxed."
- Emily S., who has a senior Saint Bernard, says, "The removable cover is a lifesaver. It's so easy to clean, and my dog enjoys the cool surface. It’s definitely worth every penny."
How the Cooling Gel Technology Works
The cooling gel technology in Furhaven’s bed is designed to absorb and dissipate your dog’s body heat. Here’s a deeper look at how it functions:- Heat Absorption: The gel layer pulls away heat from your dog's body, distributing it throughout the bed’s surface.
- Cool Surface: By spreading the heat, the bed remains cooler to the touch, providing a refreshing sleep environment.
- Comparison to Other Cooling Beds: Unlike basic memory foam beds, the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed offers superior cooling capabilities, ensuring your dog stays comfortable longer.
Maintenance Tips for the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed
Keeping the Furhaven bed in top condition is straightforward:- Regular Washing: Remove the cover and wash it as per the manufacturer’s instructions. Frequent washing keeps the bed free from dirt and allergens.
- Spot Cleaning: For smaller spills or stains, spot cleaning can help maintain cleanliness without frequent full washes.
- Rotate the Bed: To ensure even wear, rotate the bed periodically.
Why a Cooling
Durability and Long-Term Value
One of the standout features of the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed is its durability. Constructed with high-quality materials, this bed is built to withstand the weight and activity of large dogs. The removable washable cover adds to its long-term value, making it a wise investment for pet owners who want a reliable and lasting solution.Why Choose the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed?
- Comfort: Provides a cool and supportive resting place.
- Ease of Maintenance: The washable cover makes cleaning hassle-free.
- Durability: Built to last, even for the most robust dogs.
Conclusion: Invest in Comfort with Furhaven
As dog owners, providing our pets with comfort and care is always a priority. The Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed for Extra Large Dogs is more than just a bed; it's an investment in your dog's health and happiness. With its cooling technology, supportive structure, and easy maintenance, it’s a top choice for large dog owners.Ready to give your furry friend the comfort they deserve? Click here to purchase the Furhaven Cooling Gel Dog Bed and transform their rest experience today.
2024.05.19 08:35 Heroman3003 Taking Care of Broken Birds [Part 3]
More misery bird? More misery bird. Really miserymaxxing with these fics I have going, but hey, this one is not that miserable actually! Krekos is back and ready to be dense and downcast, but maybe not quite miserable? Read and see!
Big thank you to NoP community for being great and supportive of my endeavors!
Also, obviously, big thanks to SpacePaladin15 for creating this universe and allowing fanfiction well to flow free!
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Memory transcription subject: Krekos, Krakotl Refugee
Date [standardized human time]: May 6th, 2137
I stare at the foul creature before me. Normally staring at something directly head on like that would be too predatory for me to do, but after nearly dying of bread yesterday, I didn’t feel patient enough to be gentle. The creature stared right back, though in a much more natural, prey-like way, tilting its head slightly as it looked back at me with one eye and let out a long bwok.
“Are you doing this now? Really?”, I ask, knowing full well it cannot respond.
Well, it can, if another bwok it made is any indication. Of course, translators aren’t yet advanced enough to translate non-sapient speech, but the intention behind sound is intuitively clear. It’s telling me to back off. Well, I tried the diplomatic approach at least.
Raising my wing I begin sliding the bird out of its nest, careful to keep any delicate joints out of its reach. It started clucking in upset indignation, struggling back and even trying to peck at me, but after realizing that I will not relent, it hopped out of the box and rushed out of the cattle house, revealing a single dead egg in the nesting box.
With relief, I finally pick up the last egg and head back to leave them at the house. Turns out that while Reginald didn’t forget to both lock them up yesterday and let them out today, he did neglect feeding them both times, as well as collecting the harvest. So when I was driven back here in early morning, the first thing I did was making sure they were taken care of. I can’t say the horrid birds looked in any way hungry, but the moment I poured the feeding grain for them, they attacked it with more viciousness than I’d expect of an actual predator. And yet only thirteen were present at the feeding, as the one that’s usually the target of flock’s ire remained in the cattle house yet again, Reginald leaving it to it, being unaware of its undesirable habit of trying to hatch dead eggs.
With eggs delivered, I flew my way to my usual spot atop the cattle house and could finally relax. The loner beast first made its way to feast on the scraps of the grain that other birds already all have had their fill of, so I wasn’t too concerned. Instead I tried to reflect on the morning I had so far.
Waking up at the hospital did make me momentarily panic before I remembered the precluding events. Not that I could properly panic, feeling the most starved I’ve been my whole life, and too weak to try flying out of the window. Thankfully, the breakfast they provided was actually well made with krakotl needs in mind, algae soup alongside a few slices of bread, this time without any horrid human ideas like putting eggs in there. Eggs! Turns out they put eggs in some kinds of bread! That’s how I got sick! Eggs! The thought of what I consumed even now made me queasy, and it definitely made breakfast a much less appetizing affair than it would have been without that knowledge, but back then the hunger won over the disgust.
Lena did keep her promise and came to pick me up extra early. Her being a staff member at the hospital gave her some extra privilege, I assume, hence why I was released without any forms needing to be filled out personally. She did have important business today too, which probably explained the earlyness and urgency of her driving me back to her house.
That did not mean I escaped her ire, however. While I couldn’t pinpoint anything to identify the man, as Bob was apparently a common name, that offered me bread, we did come to understanding that he was likely either unaware of the nutritional contents of it, or of extent to which the Cure-induced allergy would be affecting a krakotl. Yet, Lena seemed much angrier at me for failing to take any precautions. Turns out that was the purpose of medicinal injectors, epipens as humans call them, that were provided to me. I was supposed to have them on me in case I accidentally ingested contaminated food. Nobody told me that, I was just handed them back when I first received the necessities at the refugee camp and I had no clue what they were for. Then she also berated me for eating random food from strangers and ignoring bad flavors. Turns out that brioche bread isn’t actually bitter at all, and that was my body reacting to an allergen in it. Reaction that I unwisely elected to ignore, to further ire of my host. By the end, several new rules of my stay here were made, including not eating things I don’t know and always having at least one epipen on me. Thankfully, these rules would be ones I’d start following even without them being established, so I won’t have to concern myself with being kicked out over accidentally breaking them.
As if following the rules will be enough to make them like you.
Trying to distract myself from thoughts of yesterday’s incident, I focused my attention on the flock. All birds accounted for, so at least I knew that my absence did not result in the predator coming to snatch one of them. I do not wish to insult my hosts, but Reginald is far from most attentive people in matters unrelated to his job, and I am not sure the birds were watched at all while I was out. Speaking of, my scannings of surrounding treelines revealed no sign of the predator today. Perhaps it departed to hunt elsewhere, or maybe it ventured too close to a more populated area and exterminators dealt with it.
Actually, did human exterminators work similar to Federation ones? I knew for a fact they had them, although they seemed like a market of private organizations if advertisements are anything to judge by. Still, what methods do they use? I know humans oppose fire, and do not believe in predatory taint, but surely they have measures to protect themselves? They are, by self-admission, far from the best natural predator, and I doubt Earth’s non-sapient predators would just leave humans be. Maybe I should call one of those human exterminator agencies and call them in to deal with that predator? I haven’t told Lena or Reginald about it, as I didn’t want to bother them, but it could pose a serious threat to the cattle, but maybe that’s the way I could resolve it without involving them?
I have not done nearly as much research into human culture and lifestyle as I should have, considering that I’ve lived on Earth for over half a year now, but the sheer width of the topic always overwhelmed me the moment I opened internet search app to the point where I just closed it right away.
And you expect to start studying again with that attitude? You’ll flunk out even from this primitive predator education course.
Extra loud call from the flock made me refocus my attention on them, but it was nothing. Just the loner getting pecked extra hard and lashing out against assailants, causing a small aimless stampede as all the birds ran around in circles, puffing up at one another. The assailants now looked a lot more like victims. I could understand those birds more than I could humans at least. The loner bird is clearly an odd one out. It’s the only one repeatedly trying to hatch unfertilized eggs it lays, and it seems to always avoid the rest of the flock. Humans may deny the existence of Predator Disease, but they can’t deny that prey and predator both can and will sometimes behave in unnatural ways that may threaten the herd's safety. Or pack’s, in case of humans. Birds must know on instinctual level that the loner’s behavior is unnatural and are attempting to combat the Predator Disease on instinctual level. And since that is natural, I still will not interfere in this, unless the loner bird actually becomes a threat to others or will start getting too injured. The first time I attempted to pick one of the birds up was the only time for a good reason, as I have learned their viciousness all too well.
DING-DING
The sudden loud ring startled me enough that I nearly tumbled off the roof. Who would be coming over now? Lena and Reginald have left together and shouldn’t be back until afternoon, and they’d never use the bell. That means someone must be here for them. But wouldn’t they warn anyone to not come over? Especially with their plans for today.
With nobody to answer these questions, I had no choice but to go and discover the answer myself, flying up and over the house, towards the entrance gate. The moment I passed the house roof, I already saw a familiar silhouette. It was the human child from a few days ago.
Thankfully, Lena’s insistence on me carrying an epipen at all times meant I also carried my satchel at all times too, so I didn’t have to go grabbing my holopad, and took it out. But before I could even launch the translator TTS app to type out a greeting, the child was already hopping in place with excitement.
“Mr. Krekos! Hi! I came over to visit!”, she exclaimed, showing off her teeth in an unnerving expression of human joy. I simply tried to avoid that and focused on the pad, typing out my response.
“Hello, Rosie. Why are you here?”
The question was genuine, as the child was not carrying any more of that honey substance from last time.
“I just came over to visit you! Is that okay? Are Mr. and Ms. Vince okay with it?”
Visit... me? Why? While I was confused, I did instinctively type out a reply.
“They did tell me visitors are allowed as long as there’s no trouble when I first moved in.”
And before I could type a followup message asking her why she’s here, she already let out a joyous roar and ran past me.
“Can I see the chickens?”, she asked, and not waiting for an answer, rushed past the house and towards the cattle yard.
“Wait! You’ll scare them!”, I yell after her, but of course without a translator she can’t understand me as she runs like she already knows where to go.
And indeed she has, quickly rushing up to the open field where the birds were grazing. Thankfully she didn’t start chasing them, instead just approaching the flock from a distance and swaying in place, watching them with what I assume was some sort of predatory excitement at the sight of prey. Maybe that’s where the contained hunting instinct of human children showed themselves? In chasing small birds? I was still more subdued, considering she stopped shy of causing a small stampede, but still.
“Grandpa used to take me with him! He helped watch this farm until Mr. and Ms. Vince moved in. I like chickens! I think they’re cute.”, the child told me innocently as she kept swaying and watching as the beasts grazed upon insects of the pasture.
That revelation was... interesting. I suppose it makes sense that between the original owner of this land dying in the bombings and Lena and Reginald moving in, it would be unattended. With nobody to feed and watch over those things, they would be long dead for sure. And it was Rosie’s grandfather... Speaking of. I typed out my words.
“Does your grandfather know you’re here?”
She seemed to get a weird look as she stopped her excited swaying, fiddling with her hands instead. Looks like I asked the correct question.
“...he knows I am out visiting neighbors.”
That did not answer my question. I squinted at the human child, and she dipped her head as she continued.
“...he doesn’t know I’m here specifically. Or that an alien even lives here...”, she explained, her tone suddenly more sullen.
I couldn’t help but squint at that, and it appears that my expression was readable enough that even a human could see the suspicion, as she continued.
“I’m sorry... But if I told grandpa, he’d tell me I’m forbidden from talking to you, like he forbade me from talking to hedgehog people in town... But I want to talk to you! You’re nice and you’re a space bird!”
The child was actually working around the rules established by her guardian to come see me. I don’t know if I should be glad or concerned. Clearly, the man is anti-alien in his opinions, and I’d rather that kind of man not know about how close he lives to one. At the same time, I’d rather not encourage a child for lying to their guardian in order to meet a stranger they know they aren’t allowed to interact with... So I just took the middle path with my next message.
“I see. What did you want to talk to me about then?”, TTS speaks for me.
Her stiffened body language disappears, replaced again with earlier excitement.
“I wanna know more about space! And aliens! It’s all so cool but grandpa says it’s all dangerous because mom and dad died. But it’s not! The hedgehog people were nice, and you’re nice too!”
I wasn’t sure about that logic, but my self-preservation told me I shouldn’t try convincing her to go confessing. Instead I focused more on her chosen topic.
“I am not sure I am the best person to ask about space. I am not a scientist or traveler.”
“But you’re from there! You know way more than me. I don’t even know what you are called. And there’s gotta be cool things out in space!”
I let out a sigh. I suppose it’s childlike curiosity at its finest. So unfamiliar with mundane that it is a wonder. I remember being like that about becoming a doctor.
And then you let your teacher die.
I quickly tapped on the pad.
“Okay, I can answer questions, but I may not know everything.”
The noise that came out of the girl was like a squeal of a panicked dossur as she started hopping and spinning in place.
“Yes! Yes! Thank you, Mr. Krekos!” Sudden movement did cause me to recoil a bit, which in turn caused her to cease her happy flailing and adjust her little dress. “I dunno where to start though... Hm... What are you?”
...for all my trepidation about not knowing answers, I should have anticipated that the questions she asks will be rather age-appropriate and on the same level as we learn in our first school classes. At least I won’t disappoint her then.
“I am from a species called ‘krakotl’. We’re avians, as is obvious. Our home is...”dead, gone, reduced to glass and ash by our own hubris “...was Nishtal. A beautiful planet...”
Thankfully she did not question my hesitant pause. Instead she just nodded along.
“What about the hedgehog people? I already know venlil, but they’re the only ones I know name of.”
Hedgehog people in town she mentioned earlier. The only species I could think of that could be seen there would be the gojid. I have no clue what hedgehogs are, but probably some creature with visible similarity to them.
“They are called ‘gojid’, and they’re from gojid Cradle. Both of our species are... well, used to be known for our might and protecting other species of Federation.”
I am not sure if that’s something to brag about, considering... everything. But I didn’t want this child to get brought down with depressing regrets of our species. Let her know something nicer instead. She clearly lost a lot, but there’s still joy left in her. I wouldn’t want to be the one to ruin that.
“Cool! What about other people? I wanna know more!”
And so I went on, telling her about various species, although I mostly focused on ones in this new human-led union, only mentioning kolshians and farsul beyond that. It’s weird explaining to a child what a tilfish or a harchen looks like, but thankfully my holopad isn’t just a method of communicating with implant-less children. With access to interstellar web, I could easily pull up pictures of various alien species to show to her, even if she struggled to believe that some of them were even sapient purely based off of looks. With how varied species in Federation are, and how some of us admittedly aren’t too far physiologically from our more primal ancestors.
Among other topics, she asked me to tell her interesting things, which I didn’t know much of. I told her about Venlil Prime’s tidally locked status, a rarity among habitable planets, much less homeworlds for species. I told her about the unique architecture of Mileau, designed to accommodate both species of regular size and dossur themselves. I told her about Colia medical academies, some of the most beautiful medical facilities in the galaxy.
I wish I was more well-travelled, but I just wasn’t. My whole life, I never left Nishtal until the extermination fleet took me despite my protests. That may have been what saved my life...
Not that I, of all people, deserved it...
“Hey! Stop that!”
I flinched as I heard the child yell, but quickly realized that it wasn’t directed at me. Instead, Rosie was rushing down towards the chicken flock, breaking up the fight in which the loner was being pecked by a few larger chickens. As the human child approached, the birds stopped their infighting and scattered in different directions, crowing in loud panic and discontent. On instinct, I found myself rushing towards the child, forgetting about translation entirely.
“What are you doing?! Don’t touch them!”
I didn’t want her to hurt the cattle accidentally, and I didn’t want her to get hurt by the angry birds in return. But, it seems like the moment the birds scattered, she was satisfied with her actions and turned back to me, wearing another one of her happy smiles.
“Sorry, Mr. Krekos, I just saw chickens being mean. Bad chickens.” She explained.
I was baffled. Why would she interfere like that? When I tried that back when I was just starting, that got me pecked! But with her, the birds just scattered. What if they pecked her?
I took the pad out again and started typing quickly.
“That was dangerous. Why did you do that? What if they attacked you? Why are you even interfering in their natural dynamics?”, questions flowed out of my pad with an artificial human voice.
The girl simply giggled.
“They’re chickens! They aren’t dangerous. They don’t peck that painful and I’ve been scratched worse before. And I have to stop it because bullying is wrong.”
Then she actually noticed that the one that was being attacked wandered close. She casually approached it from behind, the blind spot and just reached down and grabbed it, picking the bird up. I was ready to rush to help the bird when...
“Mwah! There, all better.”
She did a human ‘kiss’ on the back of the cattle bird’s neck before releasing it, the surprise of it causing it to rush off. I knew what kisses were, I’ve seen enough of them between Lena and Reginald, but I believed they were gestures of intimate affection, not... what was even that?
It seems Rosie noticed my confusion as she explained.
“You gotta kiss it so it heals better! That’s what mom taught me.” The child displayed that smile of hers shamelessly. With how much I was being exposed to it, it almost wasn’t unnerving anymore. Still, it was interesting to learn that kisses are seen as something that helps wounds. I guess some species do have saliva with mild antiseptic properties, wouldn’t be too out there to assume humans are the same. And if that’s the case, maybe that’s how the kissing tradition started? Exchange of protective fluid between lovers?
“I see. I did not know that.” I responded before letting my puffed feathers relax. Okay, this whole ‘watching a human child’ thing is turning out to somehow be even more stressful than I expected at first.
“Wait, Mr. Krekos, what time is it?” She suddenly asked, looking up at the sky.
“It’s nearly twelve.” I respond, holopad having a convenient clock for local time.
“Oh no! I need to be home soon! Was nice seeing you Mr. Krekos gotta go bye!”
Before I had even a chance at typing out an answer or my own goodbye, the child sprinted away and back towards the entrance. I had to take flight just to keep up, and even then she just turned around, waved her arm at me and then kept sprinting down the road after leaving the gate. I simply offered a small wave of a wing back before locking the gate again. I suppose it is hard to keep track of time without a device or clock nearby...
Well, at least I had the usual peace and quiet now. And learned a bit more about the creatures I was in charge of. I should really try to deal with my aversion to looking things up on the human internet...
Just as I was about to head back out towards the yard, I heard a loud car horn, a familiar one, getting my attention. Lena’s car. There they were, signaling me, probably having spotted me at the gate from afar. Deciding to make use of my presence here, and hoping to avoid needing to explain that I had a surprise visitor earlier, I went ahead and opened the large gate, allowing the car to enter.
Once it was parked in the usual space, the doors opened and three people came out. Lena and Reginald were both looking a bit disheveled, but their faces carried these smiles that seemed wider than ever before. And third person... Was a stranger. A human I knew of, but never actually met. As he exited the car, a large bag in one hand, he just stared at me, standing in the front yard...
“...okay, I expected many things when I was told you guys housed a refugee, but not this.”
Oh no. Oh no, he was not one of the ones that was willing to overlook an invader that partook in bombing of his planet being allowed to walk free, of course, Lena and Reginald were the weird ones like that, doesn’t mean their son won’t be... I felt the panic rising as I realized I’d need to return to the camp. Why was I upset about that? This was supposed to just have been a way to make money, but now I have a free education program. Do I need to stay? No, but... Why?! Why do I not want to leave?
“Ken, you said it’s going to be alright no matter what it is, right? Wanted us to keep it a surprise to meet a new friend?” Lena’s voice. She should have told him, that’d give me time to prepare why didn’t they give me time why.
“No, no problems, just, really surprised, that’s all... uh... hey, buddy, you okay? You’re really... trembly.”
He was approaching me, and instinct took over as I recoiled, before stuttering out my answer.
“I-I’m fine...”
...thankfully translators don’t translate voice cracks. I hope, at least...
“Hey, relax... I have no problem with you being a krakotl, I just didn’t think...” He looks over at Lena and Reginald. “Calm down... I can wear my visor if you want?”
Right. Those things humans use to hide their scary faces from us.
“I... I’m good...”
Why would it last? It almost felt good after all.
There was some emotion I struggled to read on the young human’s face, as he sighed and shook his head.
“I screwed this up, I’m sorry. Let... Let me try again.” He straightened out, and adjusted his clothing, before slowly approaching me and giving me a small smile, no teeth showing. “Hello. My name is Kenneth Vince and I'm son of Lena and Reginald Vince. I was told you’re a refugee they took in to help out. It’s nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
That... snapped me out of it. Right... He was... not upset at my existence. He was just very surprised that Lena and Reginald weren’t. That’s a reasonable thing to be surprised about, considering I was surprised about it to this day. I tried to compose myself as I responded.
“My name is Krekos. I live here as... hired help with the cattle. It’s... nice to meet you?”
The smile on Kenneth’s face widens, though he still refrains from showing his teeth. Instead, he extends a hand towards me. A handshake is a human gesture that I found far from comfortable, but I didn’t want to give him a reason to change his mind on acceptability of my existence, so I took it with a wingclaw. He gently took it and held for a few seconds before letting go and sighing again, turning to his parents.
“You know, I always thought you guys would be empty nesters, but I never thought it’d be that literal.”
That got all three of them laughing, as I just tilted my head in confusion. I was fairly sure there were no empty nests in the house until after I adjusted the attic room for my own accommodations. Still, I took the laughter as a sign that the tense moment had fully passed and let my ruffled feathers slowly rest.
“Let’s head inside. Krekos, we’re having dinner, you’re welcome to join us.” Reginald said, picking up Kenneth’s bag. I tilted my head a little and he followed up with elaboration. “We will be having meat... But there’s still going to be stuff you can eat too. It’s a celebration, so I prepared a bit of everything.”
“Dad, you shouldn’t have!” Kenneth responded with embarrassment.
“None of that! Our son returned from the war, alive and a hero, and we can have a celebration. Krekos, I know you’re still... uncertain about meat so you don’t—”
“I’ll join.”
Wait, who said that? And why did they say that in my voice?
Wait, that was me. Why did I say that?
“That’s great to hear! I’ve got some nice steamed broccoli and some vegetarian fried rice as sides that you’ll enjoy!” Reginald smiled at me and I felt myself shrinking into my feathers. That the humans didn’t notice at least, proceeding into the house instead.
Well, looks like I signed my warrant. At least my bag and my epipen were on me in case something at the table triggers the allergy again. Would be rather unfortunate to have it happen two days in a row.
And that’s how, in just ten or so minutes, I found myself sitting at the dining perch, while humans took seats in chairs, all consuming chunks of roasted flesh and somehow managing to also stuff pieces of equally roasted plants in, and converse with one another. You wouldn’t be able to tell on first look, but despite their mouths being relatively small, especially for a predator, it seems they compensate for it by having those be near bottomless in both hunger and small talk.
I am not sure how I managed to shift my focus away from them consuming animal matter in front of me, however vat grown it might have been, and onto their conversation instead, but I succeeded. I suppose that was just part of me going native around predators. Soon, I’ll be the one feasting along with them before I know it, and snacking on those epipens to not die of it.
Like you could ever be on the same level as humans.
“So, Fahl? That’s where you were sent after the Battle of Earth?” Lena asked.
“Yeah. From what I heard, we got a light posting compared to guys at Sillis or Mileau. The most I had to deal with was some exterminator insurgents.”
That’s right. Since harchen participated in the Extermination Fleet, they were one of those who were occupied by humans during the war. It makes sense that there was at least some ground resistance.
“Honestly, the worst thing out there was the heat. Not the flamethrower kind, the climate. The place was so damn dry and hot. At least exterminators you could subdue or evade. Not so much with the scorching sun!”
I couldn’t resist a small chuckle at the idea of a predator being more afraid of hot weather than flamethrowers as I slowly pecked at the vegetables on my plate. Thankfully it was set far enough aside from any meat dishes that no contamination should occur, but I was still examining pieces before putting them in my mouth just in case.
Seems like reacting was a mistake though, as that brought Kenneth’s attention onto me. He finished chewing latest piece of flesh and pointed a fork at me.
“So, Krekos... Where are you from? Cradle was my guess, but I do know there were refugees from other places like Sillis too.”
That’s a weird question. Isn’t it kind of to be expected for a krakotl to be from our actual homeworld?”
“I’m from Nishtal.”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Kenneth chuckled, tossing a piece of broccoli into his mouth and swallowing before continuing, “I meant, where did you live? I kind of assumed you were born there, but it’s not like Nishtal had a chance to send refugees out, and if they did, this is the last place they’d be.”
Oh... I caught concerned looks of Lena and Reginald, looking between me and Kenneth from both sides. Not only did they not make him aware that I was a krakotl, they also neglected to mention just how I came by my refugee status... Which was just a legal workaround to grant me asylum without unnecessary complications or establishing undesirable precedent. Legally, I may be a refugee, but practically... I am a defector. Lena and Reginald know that, I told them my story before. And while they were weirdly accepting, Kenneth... Fought extermination fleet here on Earth. Personally.
Still, I wasn’t about to lie. It took a few moments and gathering mental strength to steel myself, and averting my eyes, focusing on the plate of warm vegetables in front of me rather than the human’s anticipating stare before I answered.
“I did live on Nishtal. I... I came with the extermination fleet.” I responded, doing my best to avoid looking at him. I did not want to witness his reaction, for some reason the thought of seeing it weighed heavy on my mind.
“Oh.”
The response was simple, and had no followup. There was no more clinking of cutlery against plates, or chewing. The only thing hanging in the air of the kitchen was silence, weighing down on me. It dragged on and on... until it just got so unbearable I couldn’t take it.
“I-I’m full... Thank you for the meal.” I quickly said, hopping off the perch and stepping out of the kitchen, quickly making my way to the yard and taking flight.
Fresh air of the outside and rush of it as I flew up and gained speed... I missed that. I knew it’s not safe to just fly over other people’s territory, so I corrected my course into doing large sweeping circles over the cattle yard and simply let my wings carry me.
Flying away from any danger is the only thing I’m good for anyway. The only thing I ever do.
I closed my eyes. With them closed and not focusing on my angle it feels like I’m actually flying away from all the troubles. Away from humans who barely tolerate my existence, away from gojid who see me as worse than a predator, away from Earth and all its incorrigible customs, away from horrid cattle, away from constant memories...
Flying feels nice. It may be a bit harder than it was home, but it’s still possible. I heard that on Venlil Prime or Mileau it’s much harder. But here? Just an extra flap of wings for every few paces and you’re just fine, free to soar the skies...
Alone. With no one to ever share it with me again.
Slowly I let my eyes open back to the bleak reality. Greenery of surrounding pastures and woods, bright blue skies and farmhouses dotted about here and there greeted me. I lowered my gaze down, focusing on what’s below. There they were, fourteen brown and black dots spread around the enclosed portion of the farm territory. I am not sure how much time I’ve spent flying in circles and trying to forget things but my wings were feeling a tad sore. Then as I just began slow descent, in same circular motion, I noticed that one of the birds, a familiar one, was being chased by several others. Recounting the morning, I tried putting the knowledge to action, and shifted direction of descent, swooping down. To my surprise, that actually worked, as the moment I got close to the ground, the cattle birds all got much louder and scattered in all directions, including the loner. Who, at least this time, got off unharmed. I suppose such pathetic flightless creatures would fear a flying one much more than they would when I just run up to them...
Swooping at them from the sky like a predator to intimidate them into behaving... Like an arxur warden.
With the fight preemptively broken up, I flutter up to the roof of the cattle house, to my usual position and rested my wings. I didn’t see any movement from the direction of the house, so I suppose the family is still busy unpacking. Since Kenneth joined the military just before the Battle of Earth, and Lena and Reginald only moved here after their actual house in city of New York got destroyed, it’d be the first time the human is seeing what is basically his new home. There was a room set aside for him since before I even moved in, and while there is also a guest room... That one did not have a large enough window to fit through, which did not feel comfortable. So when I asked for a space with a bigger window they only had an attic to offer. They seemed uncomfortable letting me live in a tiny room with slanted roof, but I found such space more comforting than I would have a large room with a window not large enough to fit even one fully spread wing through.
I wonder if Kenneth will need as much renovation as I did? The house is built for humans, but he never lived there before. Will he need to buy a more comfortable bed? Getting a proper nesting setup in place of a bed took a bit of effort, but I figured something out. Human sheets were comfortable enough for such, and sitting perches were thankfully not that hard to get thanks to help from the refugee administration. Maybe that’s the things that Lena went to buy yesterday? Kenneth’s preferred room decor?
I looked up to the sky to see the sun beginning to dim. I am not sure if it was me flying that long, or me losing track of time in my thoughts again, but the sun was beginning to set. I began my usual chores, putting out an evening meal and water for the beasts, and while they feasted, ate some myself. I was a bit hungry, having not properly finished lunch and about to skip dinner, but after the earlier conversation, I’d really rather avoid giving them the opportunity to talk to me.
After the birds had their fill, and by that I mean they emptied the tray as they always do, I let out the call, and they started funneling into the cattle house. The lonely straggler being first to go and hop into its nesting box. I bet tomorrow I will have trouble with getting her out of there again...
I took the moment to gather some eggs the birds left over course of the day, and once that was over and all of them were accounted for, I closed it up. When I flew down over to the house, there wasn’t anyone by the back door thankfully, so I just left eggs there, returned the basket, and returned to my room through the window.
Well, at least I didn’t get nearly killed today... That’s nice I guess?
I was about to check my holopad when there was a knock on the door. I approached and opened it to see... Kenneth. Standing in the doorway.
“Uh, hi, Krekos. I just, uh... Wanted to apologize again. I really wish mom and dad told me everything ahead of time... I just want you to know, I have no problems with you whatsoever, yeah? It’s just. Surprising, I guess, to hear all that. I didn’t think there were any defectors from the fleet at all... Just. Uh, please don’t worry about me?” He offered me a small smile, showing his canines before quickly correcting himself and doing a closed-lip one. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories or make you feel unwelcome.”
I had to take a moment to contemplate his words. Was Lena and Reginald’s weirdness hereditary? He almost reminded me of how Reginald talked to me early on, with constant stumbling over the words, as well as constant reassurances that he is fine with me being here. Couple that with failing to avoid predatory mannerisms like eye contact and smiles like Lena tends to and you get this human. But most importantly and least understandably, there was the general fact of him and them just... welcoming me. I couldn’t understand why. I should be one sorry to them.
“N-No, it’s fine... I’m sorry for... intruding on you and your family.”
“No, no, dude, you’re fine! I mean, hell, I was considering entering one of those exchange programs before the bombings happened, and even after, well, I did my best at Fahl to be the perfect friendly soldier just there to make sure no more bombs drop on my home and not kill or conquer anyone. And then mom told me your story, and I can’t believe it... Just... If you have any issues, feel free to tell me. I’m not one of those racist pricks that are too pussy to even call themselves HF anymore because they know they’ll get their teeth knocked. I get that there aren't good or bad species, just people. And you seem like a decent guy if mom and dad’s judgment is to be trusted.” His smile widened, though it was clear from tension on his face that he had to take conscious effort to keep teeth hidden. “So, what I said earlier stands. Friends, right?”
He extends hand forward, for a second time today. I wasn’t sure if I knew this human long enough to call him a friend... Any human really. But it also seems like human definition of ‘friends’ is anyone they’re cordial and peaceful with. Which is weird. You’d think translators would properly use ‘acquaintance’ for that.
Still... We will be living in the same house now. I can’t just say no, and... I can’t come up with a reason to say no. Even him being a predator and a human is not something I could really say I object to, considering how... mundane that became to me over my time here.
So, with naught on my mind but acceptance of the situation, I extended my wing and grasped his hand with my claw. This time he actually gripped it tightly and moved it up and down, as I saw other humans do occasionally.
“Yeah... I guess that’d be for the best.” I responded, shrugging off the hesitation. Fresh start for a third time, I guess?
The human grinned, forgetting to hide his teeth entirely, but I was ready for it somehow and avoided outwardly reacting.
“Cool! Anyway, I’ll try to get some shuteye early, I couldn’t sleep on the overnight flight home. See ya!”
And with that he left. Well... That meeting went well I suppose?
I returned to my nest and picked up my holopad, returning to what I was doing. And there it was, something I awaited every day. A notification that I was messaged on mailing app. Opening the letter revealed the schedule for the study program. Which... only had one day marked on it. And a note that the rest of it will be figured out ‘as we go from there’. So it’s not a schedule, it’s just a mark for the day of the first meeting.
While a bit underwhelming, it was still exciting. It would be an all-alien class so I wouldn’t have to deal with humans’ incomprehensibility nearly as much, and it would allow me to finally return to pursuing what I actually dreamt of. Even if I wasn’t entirely sure that was precisely what I wanted after everything that happened, it was at least something for me to move towards.
...just two days until start. I wonder if there’s some required reading to prepare?
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Big thank you to NoP community for being great and supportive of my endeavors!
Also, obviously, big thanks to SpacePaladin15 for creating this universe and allowing fanfiction well to flow free!
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Date [standardized human time]: May 6th, 2137
I stare at the foul creature before me. Normally staring at something directly head on like that would be too predatory for me to do, but after nearly dying of bread yesterday, I didn’t feel patient enough to be gentle. The creature stared right back, though in a much more natural, prey-like way, tilting its head slightly as it looked back at me with one eye and let out a long bwok.
“Are you doing this now? Really?”, I ask, knowing full well it cannot respond.
Well, it can, if another bwok it made is any indication. Of course, translators aren’t yet advanced enough to translate non-sapient speech, but the intention behind sound is intuitively clear. It’s telling me to back off. Well, I tried the diplomatic approach at least.
Raising my wing I begin sliding the bird out of its nest, careful to keep any delicate joints out of its reach. It started clucking in upset indignation, struggling back and even trying to peck at me, but after realizing that I will not relent, it hopped out of the box and rushed out of the cattle house, revealing a single dead egg in the nesting box.
With relief, I finally pick up the last egg and head back to leave them at the house. Turns out that while Reginald didn’t forget to both lock them up yesterday and let them out today, he did neglect feeding them both times, as well as collecting the harvest. So when I was driven back here in early morning, the first thing I did was making sure they were taken care of. I can’t say the horrid birds looked in any way hungry, but the moment I poured the feeding grain for them, they attacked it with more viciousness than I’d expect of an actual predator. And yet only thirteen were present at the feeding, as the one that’s usually the target of flock’s ire remained in the cattle house yet again, Reginald leaving it to it, being unaware of its undesirable habit of trying to hatch dead eggs.
With eggs delivered, I flew my way to my usual spot atop the cattle house and could finally relax. The loner beast first made its way to feast on the scraps of the grain that other birds already all have had their fill of, so I wasn’t too concerned. Instead I tried to reflect on the morning I had so far.
Waking up at the hospital did make me momentarily panic before I remembered the precluding events. Not that I could properly panic, feeling the most starved I’ve been my whole life, and too weak to try flying out of the window. Thankfully, the breakfast they provided was actually well made with krakotl needs in mind, algae soup alongside a few slices of bread, this time without any horrid human ideas like putting eggs in there. Eggs! Turns out they put eggs in some kinds of bread! That’s how I got sick! Eggs! The thought of what I consumed even now made me queasy, and it definitely made breakfast a much less appetizing affair than it would have been without that knowledge, but back then the hunger won over the disgust.
Lena did keep her promise and came to pick me up extra early. Her being a staff member at the hospital gave her some extra privilege, I assume, hence why I was released without any forms needing to be filled out personally. She did have important business today too, which probably explained the earlyness and urgency of her driving me back to her house.
That did not mean I escaped her ire, however. While I couldn’t pinpoint anything to identify the man, as Bob was apparently a common name, that offered me bread, we did come to understanding that he was likely either unaware of the nutritional contents of it, or of extent to which the Cure-induced allergy would be affecting a krakotl. Yet, Lena seemed much angrier at me for failing to take any precautions. Turns out that was the purpose of medicinal injectors, epipens as humans call them, that were provided to me. I was supposed to have them on me in case I accidentally ingested contaminated food. Nobody told me that, I was just handed them back when I first received the necessities at the refugee camp and I had no clue what they were for. Then she also berated me for eating random food from strangers and ignoring bad flavors. Turns out that brioche bread isn’t actually bitter at all, and that was my body reacting to an allergen in it. Reaction that I unwisely elected to ignore, to further ire of my host. By the end, several new rules of my stay here were made, including not eating things I don’t know and always having at least one epipen on me. Thankfully, these rules would be ones I’d start following even without them being established, so I won’t have to concern myself with being kicked out over accidentally breaking them.
Trying to distract myself from thoughts of yesterday’s incident, I focused my attention on the flock. All birds accounted for, so at least I knew that my absence did not result in the predator coming to snatch one of them. I do not wish to insult my hosts, but Reginald is far from most attentive people in matters unrelated to his job, and I am not sure the birds were watched at all while I was out. Speaking of, my scannings of surrounding treelines revealed no sign of the predator today. Perhaps it departed to hunt elsewhere, or maybe it ventured too close to a more populated area and exterminators dealt with it.
Actually, did human exterminators work similar to Federation ones? I knew for a fact they had them, although they seemed like a market of private organizations if advertisements are anything to judge by. Still, what methods do they use? I know humans oppose fire, and do not believe in predatory taint, but surely they have measures to protect themselves? They are, by self-admission, far from the best natural predator, and I doubt Earth’s non-sapient predators would just leave humans be. Maybe I should call one of those human exterminator agencies and call them in to deal with that predator? I haven’t told Lena or Reginald about it, as I didn’t want to bother them, but it could pose a serious threat to the cattle, but maybe that’s the way I could resolve it without involving them?
I have not done nearly as much research into human culture and lifestyle as I should have, considering that I’ve lived on Earth for over half a year now, but the sheer width of the topic always overwhelmed me the moment I opened internet search app to the point where I just closed it right away.
Extra loud call from the flock made me refocus my attention on them, but it was nothing. Just the loner getting pecked extra hard and lashing out against assailants, causing a small aimless stampede as all the birds ran around in circles, puffing up at one another. The assailants now looked a lot more like victims. I could understand those birds more than I could humans at least. The loner bird is clearly an odd one out. It’s the only one repeatedly trying to hatch unfertilized eggs it lays, and it seems to always avoid the rest of the flock. Humans may deny the existence of Predator Disease, but they can’t deny that prey and predator both can and will sometimes behave in unnatural ways that may threaten the herd's safety. Or pack’s, in case of humans. Birds must know on instinctual level that the loner’s behavior is unnatural and are attempting to combat the Predator Disease on instinctual level. And since that is natural, I still will not interfere in this, unless the loner bird actually becomes a threat to others or will start getting too injured. The first time I attempted to pick one of the birds up was the only time for a good reason, as I have learned their viciousness all too well.
DING-DING
The sudden loud ring startled me enough that I nearly tumbled off the roof. Who would be coming over now? Lena and Reginald have left together and shouldn’t be back until afternoon, and they’d never use the bell. That means someone must be here for them. But wouldn’t they warn anyone to not come over? Especially with their plans for today.
With nobody to answer these questions, I had no choice but to go and discover the answer myself, flying up and over the house, towards the entrance gate. The moment I passed the house roof, I already saw a familiar silhouette. It was the human child from a few days ago.
Thankfully, Lena’s insistence on me carrying an epipen at all times meant I also carried my satchel at all times too, so I didn’t have to go grabbing my holopad, and took it out. But before I could even launch the translator TTS app to type out a greeting, the child was already hopping in place with excitement.
“Mr. Krekos! Hi! I came over to visit!”, she exclaimed, showing off her teeth in an unnerving expression of human joy. I simply tried to avoid that and focused on the pad, typing out my response.
“Hello, Rosie. Why are you here?”
The question was genuine, as the child was not carrying any more of that honey substance from last time.
“I just came over to visit you! Is that okay? Are Mr. and Ms. Vince okay with it?”
Visit... me? Why? While I was confused, I did instinctively type out a reply.
“They did tell me visitors are allowed as long as there’s no trouble when I first moved in.”
And before I could type a followup message asking her why she’s here, she already let out a joyous roar and ran past me.
“Can I see the chickens?”, she asked, and not waiting for an answer, rushed past the house and towards the cattle yard.
“Wait! You’ll scare them!”, I yell after her, but of course without a translator she can’t understand me as she runs like she already knows where to go.
And indeed she has, quickly rushing up to the open field where the birds were grazing. Thankfully she didn’t start chasing them, instead just approaching the flock from a distance and swaying in place, watching them with what I assume was some sort of predatory excitement at the sight of prey. Maybe that’s where the contained hunting instinct of human children showed themselves? In chasing small birds? I was still more subdued, considering she stopped shy of causing a small stampede, but still.
“Grandpa used to take me with him! He helped watch this farm until Mr. and Ms. Vince moved in. I like chickens! I think they’re cute.”, the child told me innocently as she kept swaying and watching as the beasts grazed upon insects of the pasture.
That revelation was... interesting. I suppose it makes sense that between the original owner of this land dying in the bombings and Lena and Reginald moving in, it would be unattended. With nobody to feed and watch over those things, they would be long dead for sure. And it was Rosie’s grandfather... Speaking of. I typed out my words.
“Does your grandfather know you’re here?”
She seemed to get a weird look as she stopped her excited swaying, fiddling with her hands instead. Looks like I asked the correct question.
“...he knows I am out visiting neighbors.”
That did not answer my question. I squinted at the human child, and she dipped her head as she continued.
“...he doesn’t know I’m here specifically. Or that an alien even lives here...”, she explained, her tone suddenly more sullen.
I couldn’t help but squint at that, and it appears that my expression was readable enough that even a human could see the suspicion, as she continued.
“I’m sorry... But if I told grandpa, he’d tell me I’m forbidden from talking to you, like he forbade me from talking to hedgehog people in town... But I want to talk to you! You’re nice and you’re a space bird!”
The child was actually working around the rules established by her guardian to come see me. I don’t know if I should be glad or concerned. Clearly, the man is anti-alien in his opinions, and I’d rather that kind of man not know about how close he lives to one. At the same time, I’d rather not encourage a child for lying to their guardian in order to meet a stranger they know they aren’t allowed to interact with... So I just took the middle path with my next message.
“I see. What did you want to talk to me about then?”, TTS speaks for me.
Her stiffened body language disappears, replaced again with earlier excitement.
“I wanna know more about space! And aliens! It’s all so cool but grandpa says it’s all dangerous because mom and dad died. But it’s not! The hedgehog people were nice, and you’re nice too!”
I wasn’t sure about that logic, but my self-preservation told me I shouldn’t try convincing her to go confessing. Instead I focused more on her chosen topic.
“I am not sure I am the best person to ask about space. I am not a scientist or traveler.”
“But you’re from there! You know way more than me. I don’t even know what you are called. And there’s gotta be cool things out in space!”
I let out a sigh. I suppose it’s childlike curiosity at its finest. So unfamiliar with mundane that it is a wonder. I remember being like that about becoming a doctor.
I quickly tapped on the pad.
“Okay, I can answer questions, but I may not know everything.”
The noise that came out of the girl was like a squeal of a panicked dossur as she started hopping and spinning in place.
“Yes! Yes! Thank you, Mr. Krekos!” Sudden movement did cause me to recoil a bit, which in turn caused her to cease her happy flailing and adjust her little dress. “I dunno where to start though... Hm... What are you?”
...for all my trepidation about not knowing answers, I should have anticipated that the questions she asks will be rather age-appropriate and on the same level as we learn in our first school classes. At least I won’t disappoint her then.
“I am from a species called ‘krakotl’. We’re avians, as is obvious. Our home is...”
Thankfully she did not question my hesitant pause. Instead she just nodded along.
“What about the hedgehog people? I already know venlil, but they’re the only ones I know name of.”
Hedgehog people in town she mentioned earlier. The only species I could think of that could be seen there would be the gojid. I have no clue what hedgehogs are, but probably some creature with visible similarity to them.
“They are called ‘gojid’, and they’re from gojid Cradle. Both of our species are... well, used to be known for our might and protecting other species of Federation.”
I am not sure if that’s something to brag about, considering... everything. But I didn’t want this child to get brought down with depressing regrets of our species. Let her know something nicer instead. She clearly lost a lot, but there’s still joy left in her. I wouldn’t want to be the one to ruin that.
“Cool! What about other people? I wanna know more!”
And so I went on, telling her about various species, although I mostly focused on ones in this new human-led union, only mentioning kolshians and farsul beyond that. It’s weird explaining to a child what a tilfish or a harchen looks like, but thankfully my holopad isn’t just a method of communicating with implant-less children. With access to interstellar web, I could easily pull up pictures of various alien species to show to her, even if she struggled to believe that some of them were even sapient purely based off of looks. With how varied species in Federation are, and how some of us admittedly aren’t too far physiologically from our more primal ancestors.
Among other topics, she asked me to tell her interesting things, which I didn’t know much of. I told her about Venlil Prime’s tidally locked status, a rarity among habitable planets, much less homeworlds for species. I told her about the unique architecture of Mileau, designed to accommodate both species of regular size and dossur themselves. I told her about Colia medical academies, some of the most beautiful medical facilities in the galaxy.
I wish I was more well-travelled, but I just wasn’t. My whole life, I never left Nishtal until the extermination fleet took me despite my protests. That may have been what saved my life...
“Hey! Stop that!”
I flinched as I heard the child yell, but quickly realized that it wasn’t directed at me. Instead, Rosie was rushing down towards the chicken flock, breaking up the fight in which the loner was being pecked by a few larger chickens. As the human child approached, the birds stopped their infighting and scattered in different directions, crowing in loud panic and discontent. On instinct, I found myself rushing towards the child, forgetting about translation entirely.
“What are you doing?! Don’t touch them!”
I didn’t want her to hurt the cattle accidentally, and I didn’t want her to get hurt by the angry birds in return. But, it seems like the moment the birds scattered, she was satisfied with her actions and turned back to me, wearing another one of her happy smiles.
“Sorry, Mr. Krekos, I just saw chickens being mean. Bad chickens.” She explained.
I was baffled. Why would she interfere like that? When I tried that back when I was just starting, that got me pecked! But with her, the birds just scattered. What if they pecked her?
I took the pad out again and started typing quickly.
“That was dangerous. Why did you do that? What if they attacked you? Why are you even interfering in their natural dynamics?”, questions flowed out of my pad with an artificial human voice.
The girl simply giggled.
“They’re chickens! They aren’t dangerous. They don’t peck that painful and I’ve been scratched worse before. And I have to stop it because bullying is wrong.”
Then she actually noticed that the one that was being attacked wandered close. She casually approached it from behind, the blind spot and just reached down and grabbed it, picking the bird up. I was ready to rush to help the bird when...
“Mwah! There, all better.”
She did a human ‘kiss’ on the back of the cattle bird’s neck before releasing it, the surprise of it causing it to rush off. I knew what kisses were, I’ve seen enough of them between Lena and Reginald, but I believed they were gestures of intimate affection, not... what was even that?
It seems Rosie noticed my confusion as she explained.
“You gotta kiss it so it heals better! That’s what mom taught me.” The child displayed that smile of hers shamelessly. With how much I was being exposed to it, it almost wasn’t unnerving anymore. Still, it was interesting to learn that kisses are seen as something that helps wounds. I guess some species do have saliva with mild antiseptic properties, wouldn’t be too out there to assume humans are the same. And if that’s the case, maybe that’s how the kissing tradition started? Exchange of protective fluid between lovers?
“I see. I did not know that.” I responded before letting my puffed feathers relax. Okay, this whole ‘watching a human child’ thing is turning out to somehow be even more stressful than I expected at first.
“Wait, Mr. Krekos, what time is it?” She suddenly asked, looking up at the sky.
“It’s nearly twelve.” I respond, holopad having a convenient clock for local time.
“Oh no! I need to be home soon! Was nice seeing you Mr. Krekos gotta go bye!”
Before I had even a chance at typing out an answer or my own goodbye, the child sprinted away and back towards the entrance. I had to take flight just to keep up, and even then she just turned around, waved her arm at me and then kept sprinting down the road after leaving the gate. I simply offered a small wave of a wing back before locking the gate again. I suppose it is hard to keep track of time without a device or clock nearby...
Well, at least I had the usual peace and quiet now. And learned a bit more about the creatures I was in charge of. I should really try to deal with my aversion to looking things up on the human internet...
Just as I was about to head back out towards the yard, I heard a loud car horn, a familiar one, getting my attention. Lena’s car. There they were, signaling me, probably having spotted me at the gate from afar. Deciding to make use of my presence here, and hoping to avoid needing to explain that I had a surprise visitor earlier, I went ahead and opened the large gate, allowing the car to enter.
Once it was parked in the usual space, the doors opened and three people came out. Lena and Reginald were both looking a bit disheveled, but their faces carried these smiles that seemed wider than ever before. And third person... Was a stranger. A human I knew of, but never actually met. As he exited the car, a large bag in one hand, he just stared at me, standing in the front yard...
“...okay, I expected many things when I was told you guys housed a refugee, but not this.”
Oh no. Oh no, he was not one of the ones that was willing to overlook an invader that partook in bombing of his planet being allowed to walk free, of course, Lena and Reginald were the weird ones like that, doesn’t mean their son won’t be... I felt the panic rising as I realized I’d need to return to the camp. Why was I upset about that? This was supposed to just have been a way to make money, but now I have a free education program. Do I need to stay? No, but... Why?! Why do I not want to leave?
“Ken, you said it’s going to be alright no matter what it is, right? Wanted us to keep it a surprise to meet a new friend?” Lena’s voice. She should have told him, that’d give me time to prepare why didn’t they give me time why.
“No, no problems, just, really surprised, that’s all... uh... hey, buddy, you okay? You’re really... trembly.”
He was approaching me, and instinct took over as I recoiled, before stuttering out my answer.
“I-I’m fine...”
...thankfully translators don’t translate voice cracks. I hope, at least...
“Hey, relax... I have no problem with you being a krakotl, I just didn’t think...” He looks over at Lena and Reginald. “Calm down... I can wear my visor if you want?”
Right. Those things humans use to hide their scary faces from us.
“I... I’m good...”
There was some emotion I struggled to read on the young human’s face, as he sighed and shook his head.
“I screwed this up, I’m sorry. Let... Let me try again.” He straightened out, and adjusted his clothing, before slowly approaching me and giving me a small smile, no teeth showing. “Hello. My name is Kenneth Vince and I'm son of Lena and Reginald Vince. I was told you’re a refugee they took in to help out. It’s nice to meet you. What’s your name?”
That... snapped me out of it. Right... He was... not upset at my existence. He was just very surprised that Lena and Reginald weren’t. That’s a reasonable thing to be surprised about, considering I was surprised about it to this day. I tried to compose myself as I responded.
“My name is Krekos. I live here as... hired help with the cattle. It’s... nice to meet you?”
The smile on Kenneth’s face widens, though he still refrains from showing his teeth. Instead, he extends a hand towards me. A handshake is a human gesture that I found far from comfortable, but I didn’t want to give him a reason to change his mind on acceptability of my existence, so I took it with a wingclaw. He gently took it and held for a few seconds before letting go and sighing again, turning to his parents.
“You know, I always thought you guys would be empty nesters, but I never thought it’d be that literal.”
That got all three of them laughing, as I just tilted my head in confusion. I was fairly sure there were no empty nests in the house until after I adjusted the attic room for my own accommodations. Still, I took the laughter as a sign that the tense moment had fully passed and let my ruffled feathers slowly rest.
“Let’s head inside. Krekos, we’re having dinner, you’re welcome to join us.” Reginald said, picking up Kenneth’s bag. I tilted my head a little and he followed up with elaboration. “We will be having meat... But there’s still going to be stuff you can eat too. It’s a celebration, so I prepared a bit of everything.”
“Dad, you shouldn’t have!” Kenneth responded with embarrassment.
“None of that! Our son returned from the war, alive and a hero, and we can have a celebration. Krekos, I know you’re still... uncertain about meat so you don’t—”
“I’ll join.”
Wait, who said that? And why did they say that in my voice?
Wait, that was me. Why did I say that?
“That’s great to hear! I’ve got some nice steamed broccoli and some vegetarian fried rice as sides that you’ll enjoy!” Reginald smiled at me and I felt myself shrinking into my feathers. That the humans didn’t notice at least, proceeding into the house instead.
Well, looks like I signed my warrant. At least my bag and my epipen were on me in case something at the table triggers the allergy again. Would be rather unfortunate to have it happen two days in a row.
And that’s how, in just ten or so minutes, I found myself sitting at the dining perch, while humans took seats in chairs, all consuming chunks of roasted flesh and somehow managing to also stuff pieces of equally roasted plants in, and converse with one another. You wouldn’t be able to tell on first look, but despite their mouths being relatively small, especially for a predator, it seems they compensate for it by having those be near bottomless in both hunger and small talk.
I am not sure how I managed to shift my focus away from them consuming animal matter in front of me, however vat grown it might have been, and onto their conversation instead, but I succeeded. I suppose that was just part of me going native around predators. Soon, I’ll be the one feasting along with them before I know it, and snacking on those epipens to not die of it.
“So, Fahl? That’s where you were sent after the Battle of Earth?” Lena asked.
“Yeah. From what I heard, we got a light posting compared to guys at Sillis or Mileau. The most I had to deal with was some exterminator insurgents.”
That’s right. Since harchen participated in the Extermination Fleet, they were one of those who were occupied by humans during the war. It makes sense that there was at least some ground resistance.
“Honestly, the worst thing out there was the heat. Not the flamethrower kind, the climate. The place was so damn dry and hot. At least exterminators you could subdue or evade. Not so much with the scorching sun!”
I couldn’t resist a small chuckle at the idea of a predator being more afraid of hot weather than flamethrowers as I slowly pecked at the vegetables on my plate. Thankfully it was set far enough aside from any meat dishes that no contamination should occur, but I was still examining pieces before putting them in my mouth just in case.
Seems like reacting was a mistake though, as that brought Kenneth’s attention onto me. He finished chewing latest piece of flesh and pointed a fork at me.
“So, Krekos... Where are you from? Cradle was my guess, but I do know there were refugees from other places like Sillis too.”
That’s a weird question. Isn’t it kind of to be expected for a krakotl to be from our actual homeworld?”
“I’m from Nishtal.”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Kenneth chuckled, tossing a piece of broccoli into his mouth and swallowing before continuing, “I meant, where did you live? I kind of assumed you were born there, but it’s not like Nishtal had a chance to send refugees out, and if they did, this is the last place they’d be.”
Oh... I caught concerned looks of Lena and Reginald, looking between me and Kenneth from both sides. Not only did they not make him aware that I was a krakotl, they also neglected to mention just how I came by my refugee status... Which was just a legal workaround to grant me asylum without unnecessary complications or establishing undesirable precedent. Legally, I may be a refugee, but practically... I am a defector. Lena and Reginald know that, I told them my story before. And while they were weirdly accepting, Kenneth... Fought extermination fleet here on Earth. Personally.
Still, I wasn’t about to lie. It took a few moments and gathering mental strength to steel myself, and averting my eyes, focusing on the plate of warm vegetables in front of me rather than the human’s anticipating stare before I answered.
“I did live on Nishtal. I... I came with the extermination fleet.” I responded, doing my best to avoid looking at him. I did not want to witness his reaction, for some reason the thought of seeing it weighed heavy on my mind.
“Oh.”
The response was simple, and had no followup. There was no more clinking of cutlery against plates, or chewing. The only thing hanging in the air of the kitchen was silence, weighing down on me. It dragged on and on... until it just got so unbearable I couldn’t take it.
“I-I’m full... Thank you for the meal.” I quickly said, hopping off the perch and stepping out of the kitchen, quickly making my way to the yard and taking flight.
Fresh air of the outside and rush of it as I flew up and gained speed... I missed that. I knew it’s not safe to just fly over other people’s territory, so I corrected my course into doing large sweeping circles over the cattle yard and simply let my wings carry me.
I closed my eyes. With them closed and not focusing on my angle it feels like I’m actually flying away from all the troubles. Away from humans who barely tolerate my existence, away from gojid who see me as worse than a predator, away from Earth and all its incorrigible customs, away from horrid cattle, away from constant memories...
Flying feels nice. It may be a bit harder than it was home, but it’s still possible. I heard that on Venlil Prime or Mileau it’s much harder. But here? Just an extra flap of wings for every few paces and you’re just fine, free to soar the skies...
Slowly I let my eyes open back to the bleak reality. Greenery of surrounding pastures and woods, bright blue skies and farmhouses dotted about here and there greeted me. I lowered my gaze down, focusing on what’s below. There they were, fourteen brown and black dots spread around the enclosed portion of the farm territory. I am not sure how much time I’ve spent flying in circles and trying to forget things but my wings were feeling a tad sore. Then as I just began slow descent, in same circular motion, I noticed that one of the birds, a familiar one, was being chased by several others. Recounting the morning, I tried putting the knowledge to action, and shifted direction of descent, swooping down. To my surprise, that actually worked, as the moment I got close to the ground, the cattle birds all got much louder and scattered in all directions, including the loner. Who, at least this time, got off unharmed. I suppose such pathetic flightless creatures would fear a flying one much more than they would when I just run up to them...
With the fight preemptively broken up, I flutter up to the roof of the cattle house, to my usual position and rested my wings. I didn’t see any movement from the direction of the house, so I suppose the family is still busy unpacking. Since Kenneth joined the military just before the Battle of Earth, and Lena and Reginald only moved here after their actual house in city of New York got destroyed, it’d be the first time the human is seeing what is basically his new home. There was a room set aside for him since before I even moved in, and while there is also a guest room... That one did not have a large enough window to fit through, which did not feel comfortable. So when I asked for a space with a bigger window they only had an attic to offer. They seemed uncomfortable letting me live in a tiny room with slanted roof, but I found such space more comforting than I would have a large room with a window not large enough to fit even one fully spread wing through.
I wonder if Kenneth will need as much renovation as I did? The house is built for humans, but he never lived there before. Will he need to buy a more comfortable bed? Getting a proper nesting setup in place of a bed took a bit of effort, but I figured something out. Human sheets were comfortable enough for such, and sitting perches were thankfully not that hard to get thanks to help from the refugee administration. Maybe that’s the things that Lena went to buy yesterday? Kenneth’s preferred room decor?
I looked up to the sky to see the sun beginning to dim. I am not sure if it was me flying that long, or me losing track of time in my thoughts again, but the sun was beginning to set. I began my usual chores, putting out an evening meal and water for the beasts, and while they feasted, ate some myself. I was a bit hungry, having not properly finished lunch and about to skip dinner, but after the earlier conversation, I’d really rather avoid giving them the opportunity to talk to me.
After the birds had their fill, and by that I mean they emptied the tray as they always do, I let out the call, and they started funneling into the cattle house. The lonely straggler being first to go and hop into its nesting box. I bet tomorrow I will have trouble with getting her out of there again...
I took the moment to gather some eggs the birds left over course of the day, and once that was over and all of them were accounted for, I closed it up. When I flew down over to the house, there wasn’t anyone by the back door thankfully, so I just left eggs there, returned the basket, and returned to my room through the window.
Well, at least I didn’t get nearly killed today... That’s nice I guess?
I was about to check my holopad when there was a knock on the door. I approached and opened it to see... Kenneth. Standing in the doorway.
“Uh, hi, Krekos. I just, uh... Wanted to apologize again. I really wish mom and dad told me everything ahead of time... I just want you to know, I have no problems with you whatsoever, yeah? It’s just. Surprising, I guess, to hear all that. I didn’t think there were any defectors from the fleet at all... Just. Uh, please don’t worry about me?” He offered me a small smile, showing his canines before quickly correcting himself and doing a closed-lip one. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories or make you feel unwelcome.”
I had to take a moment to contemplate his words. Was Lena and Reginald’s weirdness hereditary? He almost reminded me of how Reginald talked to me early on, with constant stumbling over the words, as well as constant reassurances that he is fine with me being here. Couple that with failing to avoid predatory mannerisms like eye contact and smiles like Lena tends to and you get this human. But most importantly and least understandably, there was the general fact of him and them just... welcoming me. I couldn’t understand why. I should be one sorry to them.
“N-No, it’s fine... I’m sorry for... intruding on you and your family.”
“No, no, dude, you’re fine! I mean, hell, I was considering entering one of those exchange programs before the bombings happened, and even after, well, I did my best at Fahl to be the perfect friendly soldier just there to make sure no more bombs drop on my home and not kill or conquer anyone. And then mom told me your story, and I can’t believe it... Just... If you have any issues, feel free to tell me. I’m not one of those racist pricks that are too pussy to even call themselves HF anymore because they know they’ll get their teeth knocked. I get that there aren't good or bad species, just people. And you seem like a decent guy if mom and dad’s judgment is to be trusted.” His smile widened, though it was clear from tension on his face that he had to take conscious effort to keep teeth hidden. “So, what I said earlier stands. Friends, right?”
He extends hand forward, for a second time today. I wasn’t sure if I knew this human long enough to call him a friend... Any human really. But it also seems like human definition of ‘friends’ is anyone they’re cordial and peaceful with. Which is weird. You’d think translators would properly use ‘acquaintance’ for that.
Still... We will be living in the same house now. I can’t just say no, and... I can’t come up with a reason to say no. Even him being a predator and a human is not something I could really say I object to, considering how... mundane that became to me over my time here.
So, with naught on my mind but acceptance of the situation, I extended my wing and grasped his hand with my claw. This time he actually gripped it tightly and moved it up and down, as I saw other humans do occasionally.
“Yeah... I guess that’d be for the best.” I responded, shrugging off the hesitation. Fresh start for a third time, I guess?
The human grinned, forgetting to hide his teeth entirely, but I was ready for it somehow and avoided outwardly reacting.
“Cool! Anyway, I’ll try to get some shuteye early, I couldn’t sleep on the overnight flight home. See ya!”
And with that he left. Well... That meeting went well I suppose?
I returned to my nest and picked up my holopad, returning to what I was doing. And there it was, something I awaited every day. A notification that I was messaged on mailing app. Opening the letter revealed the schedule for the study program. Which... only had one day marked on it. And a note that the rest of it will be figured out ‘as we go from there’. So it’s not a schedule, it’s just a mark for the day of the first meeting.
While a bit underwhelming, it was still exciting. It would be an all-alien class so I wouldn’t have to deal with humans’ incomprehensibility nearly as much, and it would allow me to finally return to pursuing what I actually dreamt of. Even if I wasn’t entirely sure that was precisely what I wanted after everything that happened, it was at least something for me to move towards.
...just two days until start. I wonder if there’s some required reading to prepare?
2024.05.19 08:31 MedicMoth Greens 'State of the Planet' speech 2024 [FULL TRANSCRIPT]
Reposting here for posterity
Summary: Greens hits out at policies tailored for the wealthy, not the people; saying they are devoid of care and evidence. They said if they were delivering this year's budget, they would deliver the following by taxing wealth:
submitted by MedicMoth to nzpolitics [link] [comments]
Summary: Greens hits out at policies tailored for the wealthy, not the people; saying they are devoid of care and evidence. They said if they were delivering this year's budget, they would deliver the following by taxing wealth:
- An income guarantee for everyone
- Lift every family out of poverty
- More support for students or people out of work
- Extra help if you're sick or disabled
- Payments for families so kids can thrive
- More resourcing for the public service
- Free dental care
- Cheaper power bills
- Solar panels and batteries for homes
- Climate pollution reduction
Mā te oranga o te taiao, ka ora ai te iwi. Mō te takitini, kāore mo te torutoru anake. Ki te mana whenua o tēnei rohe, tū mai rā Ngāti Whātua, tēnā koutou. Ki a tātou e huihui mai nei, ko ngā moemoeā o te Pāti Kākāriki te take, nau mai, haere mai, whakatau mai.
Tenā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
Sixteen million dollars.
That’s how much the coalition parties raised to win last year’s election.
Ten million for National.
Four million for Act.
Just under two million for New Zealand First.
Sixteen million dollars.
From property developers and business tycoons who have built their wealth by exploiting our natural environment.
To companies who profit from digging up our whenua and overfishing our oceans - activities that cause significant harm to our precious ecosystems.
Sixteen million dollars helped to put this government into power.
And in a little less than two weeks, the coalition government will unveil its first budget.
It has clearly been difficult for them to put it together.
To the right, Act is trying to fire all the people who make our public services work, while in their own cooker corner New Zealand First hoards 1.2 billion dollars for hand-chosen pet projects.
The Coalition has found half a billion dollars for new defence spending, but cancelled projects to improve buses and trains in Auckland and Wellington.
They’re borrowing billions to cover the cost of cutting taxes for wealthy property investors, because they’ve realised that the promises they made during the election campaign were slapdash and expensive.
Meanwhile, people with the least face ever higher costs.
Bus fares have already gone up.
Rents continue to rise, while the government is giving tax breaks to landlords instead of investing in more public housing.
So on Budget Day, when we see what the coalition has been able to cobble together, I want you to remember: sixteen million dollars.
What’s in the Budget for the people who paid for National’s election campaign?
And what could have been in the budget instead if Aotearoa had a Government that prioritised people and planet?
Because I am not here for the relative few who donated those sixteen million dollars.
I am here for the many, including the 330,000 people who trusted the Green Party with their votes last year.
And I want to thank you all once again.
Your voices will continue to be heard.
You told us you wanted us to fight for an Aotearoa where everyone can get by, where our native wildlife and oceans thrive, where we take bold climate action, and where we honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
That is what we are doing. And we will be loud. And we will be staunch as always.
I am here for those who cannot sit by while the government tries to take the country backwards on the issues that matter most.
While the goal of a smoke-free generation goes up in smoke.
While new coal mines are dug into our precious conservation land, even as the Prime Minister claims to want to achieve climate change targets.
While the few with extraordinary wealth get what they want, at the expense of everyone else.
The Greens have always been, and will always be, the voice for a different kind of politics.
A politics centred in justice through honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi, not using it to drive a wedge in our communities.
A politics that celebrates the potential our country could live up to if it was grounded in manaakitanga and equity.
That acknowledges the richness of generations of tangata whenua and tangata tiriti working together to care for our whenua and collectively enjoying the fruits of mahitahi.
Where we protect Papatūānuku out of aroha for her, and respect that her wellbeing is also what keeps us alive.
Where we share what we have so everyone in Aotearoa can live a good life.
Everything the Greens won over the last two terms in government with Labour was hard fought. Governments must make tradeoffs. But Governments are defined by their choices.
And right now, the coalition is making theirs clear.
If the Greens were delivering this year’s budget, I’ll tell you what would be in it.
An income guarantee, so no matter what, everyone has what they need to live a decent life.
We could lift every family in Aotearoa out of poverty, and give people the peace of mind that they’ll be supported if they fall on tough times.
More support for students and people out of work, extra help if you’re sick or disabled, and simple payments for families so all kids can thrive.
Free dental care.
Successive governments have let basic dental healthcare get so expensive, that forty percent - forty percent! - of people avoid going to the dentist.
It’s just too expensive.
In Aotearoa, we could choose to resource our public health services - funded by taxes on wealth, so that everyone can be looked after when they need it.
And if the Greens were putting together the Budget, it would fund our plan to make your homes warmer while cutting down your power bills AND climate pollution.
Solar panels and batteries for homes to store the sun’s free energy, taking pressure off the power grid.
But this year, with the help of sixteen million dollars from some of the wealthiest people in Aotearoa, National, Act, and New Zealand First have the privilege of making those decisions.
And I say to them, what are you going to do with it?
You have the choice to end poverty.
Or to give tax breaks to landlords.
To give back more to people who earn their living, instead of tax breaks for people who own more houses than they need, and who already get untaxed capital gains.
You have the choice to invest in solar power, or open up new coal mines.
The choices people make when they have power show us what they are motivated by. These choices define the world they want to create.
So today I want to talk with you about what motivates the Green Party.
Ko te mana o Te Tiriti.
Ko te oranga o te Taiao.
Ko ngā tūmanako mō ngā tamariki.
We are motivated by generations of movements and leaders who have pushed for the sovereignty of tangata whenua guaranteed by te Tiriti o Waitangi.
A partnership on which this country was built, despite the continuous breaches by the Crown partner.
The Green Party is a Tiriti party.
Our leadership is a partnership between tangata whenua and tangata tiriti.
Our work seeks to honour the commitments made generations ago, to prosper together.
Our commitment to Tiriti justice is absolutely integral to everything the Greens do - just as it is integral to the future of Aotearoa.
Tino rangatiratanga is at the heart of healing relationships across communities and reconnecting all of us with our seas, our rivers, our bush, our mountains, and our whenua.
And central to our vision for a Tiriti-based future, is our commitment to restoring and protecting nature.
Because nature is in crisis.
Just out these doors, and below our feet, in the Hauraki Gulf, the impacts of commercial overfishing and the pollution washing into the water from the land, has brought the ecosystem to the brink.
North and west of here, great kauri are critically threatened.
To the south, unique animals found in no other country, are at risk from the bulldozers of mining companies, unless we protect them.
Four thousand different native species are at risk of extinction in Aotearoa.
Four thousand.
We can turn that around, but it takes commitment. It takes effort. It takes mahitahi. And it takes choices. Choices that put people and planet first, instead of a cynical politics that serves the short-term interests of wealthy donors.
If the government chooses not to prioritise restoring the health of the natural world in its first budget, that shows what they are motivated by, and it shows what kind of world they are prepared to leave to our tamariki.
It is our tamariki and mokopuna that motivate the Greens.
Not just the ones born tomorrow, but those after that, for seven generations down the line.
Sustainability doesn’t just mean sustainability for nature, but for people too. This planet is our home. We need it to thrive.
The Greens have always been deeply motivated by care for other people, for communities, for those with us today and for those who will come after us.
We are motivated by every single child who goes to bed hungry tonight.
We are motivated by every single adult who isn’t sure how they’ll pay the rent or mortgage next week.
As winter hits, we are motivated by every person who sits in the cold, staring at the heater, knowing they can’t afford to turn it on.
Our challenge to the coalition government is to prove that you are motivated by this too.
Choose to do something about it.
The solutions to many of the problems we face in Aotearoa are clear. This week I had the privilege of meeting with rangatahi, and hearing about the solutions they want to see in their communities. They are THE experts in their own experience - and they know they need to be empowered and given better opportunities; not marginalised, patronised, ignored, and punished.
But the coalition government doesn’t like those solutions, because they don’t fit its agenda. They prefer catch phrases like “social investment”, to real data and lived experience.
A Government which says it is motivated by evidence-based solutions has cut funding to the world class Growing up in New Zealand study, and continues to ignore the evidence it provides. Like the evidence that 40% of children live in the most deprived areas.
If this government was truly invested in improving social outcomes, it would affirm and resource the experts who know best and have proven the most.
And that includes empowering the people with the lived experience of the systems failing them and their whānau. It requires removing all the barriers to wellbeing such as poverty and homelessness. We need to support whole whānau, instead of focusing on ‘fixing’ an individual after they’ve already been broken by poverty and neglect, and expecting them to rise above circumstances of deprivation that we should have all worked together to prevent in the first place. We need the solutions to be grounded in community knowledge and care. I hope this government is open to sitting with kai rangahau Māori and families to learn more about what really needs to change.
When the Crown has repeatedly failed to be accountable for the harm it has caused to whānau Māori, it is clear that we need an authentic transfer of power and resources - with a partnership of a strong public and social services sector working together, with communities, hapū and iwi, and whānau.
I have seen what works to support people off a destructive path in life. To instead become the best of themselves. There is a mountain of evidence about approaches that work where all other attempts have failed - particularly where there is deep trauma.
These approaches, like Kaupapa Māori interventions, build the strength of whānau and community.
Now for far too long, successive governments have been stuck on catch phrase politics, devoid of evidence or genuine care.
Policies like bootcamps for the young, benefit sanctions for the already struggling, higher criminal penalties - a punitive, petty politics that makes life harder for those already
excluded, and does nothing to keep communities safe and well. This is divisive, stale, cruel and ineffective.
When I have met and listened to the very people at the forefront of this cruelty, the impact has been clear.
Such punitive and dehumanising measures have instead caused even further disconnection and hopelessness. The Greens know that meeting trauma with punishment isn’t going to work. I want rangatahi to hear us loud and clear. You matter. Your whānau matters. You deserve dignity, a community and a country that sees your strength.
At a basic level, I think we all agree that identifying the causes of persistent hardship, and supporting people to get out of those situations, is a good idea.
And we all agree that the measure of a government’s success is whether it achieves outcomes, not how much money it spends on trying.
But the Government isn’t actually doing this.
Two weeks ago the Minister of Finance said her government will “use hard evidence to invest in what works.”
On that same day, the Minister of Social Development announced that people on a benefit will face financial sanctions if they don’t attend work seminars.
Let me be clear, work seminars don’t help people find jobs they’re suited for - let alone create meaningful work with decent pay and conditions. The Ministry of Social Development has told the Minister there is no evidence for the government’s cruel approach. Sanctions do not make a difference for the number of people moving into paid work.
And the evidence against sanctions is extremely clear.
Financial sanctions for beneficiaries, who already don’t have enough income to pay for life’s essentials, simply push people into further hardship.
That affects their children, their whānau, and their whole communities.
Instead, people need tailored support into work that matches their skills and interests, with a guaranteed income while retraining.
At the same time, the Government needs to invest in creating sustainable jobs that transition our economy away from fossil fuels.
Jobs with decent pay, secure hours and support for people to balance caregiving responsibilities. Jobs that support wellbeing for whānau, instead of seeing workers as just a cog in a labour machine.
When the Government rolls out policies like benefit sanctions, they are making a choice to ignore the evidence about the effect of their actions.
And it is our job to expose that.
I cannot say it enough: we have everything we need in Aotearoa for everyone to live a decent life.
We know what people need to rise up out of persistent hardship.
A warm, dry, affordable, and accessible home.
Healthy kai on the table.
The freedom to go to the doctor or the dentist when they need to, without having to worry about the cost.
And next week, the Government has a choice whether to put people at the heart of the budget - or not. If they don’t, they are holding back the potential of our people and our communities to thrive.
And we will ask, exactly who are they governing for?
The Greens are here for the many, not just the few.
We carry decades of political leadership with us, starting from the late Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald, through to our newest co-leader Chloe Swarbrick.
We are here thanks to the thousands upon thousands of volunteers over the last three decades.
The many grassroots-led movements who we are honoured to have worked with for the kaupapa.
We draw our strength from knowing we are powered by the many. This gives us the strength to oppose a government whose sixteen million dollars of political donations got them where they are today.
Thanks to our people-powered campaign, we have our largest Caucus ever.
And it represents Aotearoa more than it ever has before.
Green politics is the alternative to this cynical, cruel coalition government.
And we are only just getting started.
2024.05.19 08:25 EmojiOfAKeyboard Looking for advice on getting our first camper
We are looking to buy our first (used) camper sometime next winteearly spring & are in need of some advice before we go down the rabbit hole.
wife dreamt of a camper for the last 3+ years, and we are ready to start the research process
after owning a boat, i've learned a lot about maintenance and learned how to tackle something big and new to me. In addition, having the ability to know how to pull/back-up a trailer will make buying a camper MUCH easier than a complete newbie.
what are we pulling it with?
either an f150 or a subaru outback wilderness ("rated" for towing 3500lb)
the perfect camper can be pulled with the subaru as we prefer a smaller camper, and it frees up the truck to pull the boat for a weekend trip to the lake with both the camper & boat.
but i understand that may not be possible based on the below needs.
what size camper?
preferably < 8ft wide... and "small enough that an SUV can pull it"
what are MUST HAVES in a camper?
1) although many teardrop campers look perfect in their tiny size. We THINK that we are set on having wet bath. as the point of this camper is to be able to travel/work remotely. And if we need to stop at a campsite/hotel/etc. to shower, then it makes the whole process harder.
In addition, my wife will jump in a lake, camp in a tent... but absolutely hates most campsite showers. Being able to bathe in privacy makes this whole thing a lot more enticing for us do.
2) kitchen area + refrigerator for cooking
3) bed for 2 adults + room on floor for 35lb/12lb dogs
4) table to sit a laptop for work
5) AC/Heat
what are other considerations in a camper?
1) the camper is mainly for us, yet it would be nice to have some space for a blow up mattress in case someone else wanted to join... but that is not worth getting a huge camper for. smaller is better.
2) i think kitchen inside is better but idk
submitted by EmojiOfAKeyboard to GoRVing [link] [comments]
- Budget: $20k max if its absolutely perfect for us and perfect condition... realistically looking for < $15k
wife dreamt of a camper for the last 3+ years, and we are ready to start the research process
- we are outdoors people... but not TOO outdoors, thus us not wanting to rough it
- our favorite hobby is a weekend at the lake skiing & we believe that a camper will fit right in with us
- we would use the camper for traveling around the US, or simply camping close to home
- we are remote workers who are tired of not utilizing the freedom we have
after owning a boat, i've learned a lot about maintenance and learned how to tackle something big and new to me. In addition, having the ability to know how to pull/back-up a trailer will make buying a camper MUCH easier than a complete newbie.
what are we pulling it with?
either an f150 or a subaru outback wilderness ("rated" for towing 3500lb)
the perfect camper can be pulled with the subaru as we prefer a smaller camper, and it frees up the truck to pull the boat for a weekend trip to the lake with both the camper & boat.
but i understand that may not be possible based on the below needs.
what size camper?
preferably < 8ft wide... and "small enough that an SUV can pull it"
what are MUST HAVES in a camper?
1) although many teardrop campers look perfect in their tiny size. We THINK that we are set on having wet bath. as the point of this camper is to be able to travel/work remotely. And if we need to stop at a campsite/hotel/etc. to shower, then it makes the whole process harder.
In addition, my wife will jump in a lake, camp in a tent... but absolutely hates most campsite showers. Being able to bathe in privacy makes this whole thing a lot more enticing for us do.
2) kitchen area + refrigerator for cooking
3) bed for 2 adults + room on floor for 35lb/12lb dogs
4) table to sit a laptop for work
5) AC/Heat
what are other considerations in a camper?
1) the camper is mainly for us, yet it would be nice to have some space for a blow up mattress in case someone else wanted to join... but that is not worth getting a huge camper for. smaller is better.
2) i think kitchen inside is better but idk
TLDR:
- based on the above, I'm looking for advice on what sizing campers we should look at for our needs.
- any specific camper recommendation is welcome
- just general advice that could help us get the process started as i dont know WHERE to even start other than looking at used "small" campers
2024.05.19 08:18 trowaway9005 Some experiences
Fucking tgirls
DL M 150 6'0 7" bbc with girth 24 years old long story I usually use this page to jerk so I might aswell help out 100% real life
I fucked my first tranny at 18 I used to jerk off to a lot of porn from a young age and even got to shemale porn. I lost my virginity to a girl but I was just very horny at that age one day downloaded Grindr scrolled for a while but got distracted went and got high at a friends house and took a few shots aswell hanging out with buddies. I went to the bathroom opened my phone opened Grindr and saw a pretty Latina tgirl and I messaged her. Not a long convo she gave me an address and I left my friends telling them I'm done for the night. I pick up the tranny and she has a tight skirt on smooth thighs and nice ass I was already getting hard leaving her apartment. I park up in the next apartment and we hop in the back seat I already have a completely hard dick cause to me I basically had Jane Marie in the back of my car with me. She is playing with my dick sucking it getting her lipstick everywhere but she keeps answering her phone I think it was her boyfriend calling her. I see her ass and decided to fuck but between the condom and it being my first time I keep getting soft and she is too tight for my soft dick. I stop focusing on her asshole and just feel her body her soft ass and her nice hair with blonde streaks. I get hard and inside and her moans got me so hard I fuck the shit outta her she moans load as hell.(she keeps stopping to text this man in all caps and in Spanish ). After wards I take her to McDonald's and I wasn't even shy at the window cause she looked like a girl so much She gave me her number but I lost it never went back at that time I didn't know how much of a gem she was lol
My second time was off of Grindr again this time a older tranny she was also Latina but heavier then me big ass and tits and she was older 40+ hopefully not 60 lol. I fucked her the first time for free but after I got her number she kept making me pay but I liked her so used to never mind. One time she didn't answer her number and I was so horny I knocked on her door she opened it and said No! I pointed at my pocket I got money and she was mad but let me in. I followed her into the kitchen she was cooking and I put 60$ on her table and started grabbing her ass pulling out my dick and kissing her neck like usual. She said no fuck. I kept kissing her neck and then her mouth she kept saying no fuck I was very hard and she felt it on her ass . I start sucking her big tits doing anything to get her horny and she pushes my head down to her ass I never ate ass before. I had no choice started kissing it and got my tounge in there eventually got really into it and started jerking until I came on her kitchen floor she played in my cum with her feet and then rubbed it all over my clothes I licked her feet she was so experienced she knew exactly what she was doing I stood up kissed her so hard and really just hugged her I still miss that one
Over the years I used some escort websites to find some but I never paid over 100$ I make sure when I'm talking on the phone I flirt with them calling them baby so they get interested and in person I give them a little cash and start the process quick and most of them fold cause I'm in pretty good shape or they wanna smoke some weed with me if I offer them. I've done it probably like 5 times.
Last story I was in Chicago for work not my home state . I found a black tranny online and went to her hotel. I was very high smoked right before I went to her so I was on edge very paranoid of any funny business and Chicago is a rough city.I found her in the lobby and I was surprised she kinda looked like a girl. We get to her room and I give her 40$ and try to grab her ass make her horny she denies me and tells me 200$. No way was I paying that so I just keep flirting trying to make her horny and she is hard to beat keeps touching my pockets. She had a school girl skirt on while sitting on the wall of the bed she lifts her skirt up. I see a floppy 7 inch black cock with shaved pubeses and a belly ring on a flat stomach. I slowly dive across the bed and for the first time suck a dick she knew exactly what she was doing after only 30 seconds she pushed me off and says she wants her money. I hop off the bed and my dick somehow was already out. I start jerking watching her and when she sees my big dick she starts stroking herself. Seeing her finally get horny I automatically cum. I zip up and leave cause I didn't trust this bitch and I heard something in the bathroom of the room I forgot to check. I literally came so hard across the room though she was like omg .
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DL M 150 6'0 7" bbc with girth 24 years old long story I usually use this page to jerk so I might aswell help out 100% real life
I fucked my first tranny at 18 I used to jerk off to a lot of porn from a young age and even got to shemale porn. I lost my virginity to a girl but I was just very horny at that age one day downloaded Grindr scrolled for a while but got distracted went and got high at a friends house and took a few shots aswell hanging out with buddies. I went to the bathroom opened my phone opened Grindr and saw a pretty Latina tgirl and I messaged her. Not a long convo she gave me an address and I left my friends telling them I'm done for the night. I pick up the tranny and she has a tight skirt on smooth thighs and nice ass I was already getting hard leaving her apartment. I park up in the next apartment and we hop in the back seat I already have a completely hard dick cause to me I basically had Jane Marie in the back of my car with me. She is playing with my dick sucking it getting her lipstick everywhere but she keeps answering her phone I think it was her boyfriend calling her. I see her ass and decided to fuck but between the condom and it being my first time I keep getting soft and she is too tight for my soft dick. I stop focusing on her asshole and just feel her body her soft ass and her nice hair with blonde streaks. I get hard and inside and her moans got me so hard I fuck the shit outta her she moans load as hell.(she keeps stopping to text this man in all caps and in Spanish ). After wards I take her to McDonald's and I wasn't even shy at the window cause she looked like a girl so much She gave me her number but I lost it never went back at that time I didn't know how much of a gem she was lol
My second time was off of Grindr again this time a older tranny she was also Latina but heavier then me big ass and tits and she was older 40+ hopefully not 60 lol. I fucked her the first time for free but after I got her number she kept making me pay but I liked her so used to never mind. One time she didn't answer her number and I was so horny I knocked on her door she opened it and said No! I pointed at my pocket I got money and she was mad but let me in. I followed her into the kitchen she was cooking and I put 60$ on her table and started grabbing her ass pulling out my dick and kissing her neck like usual. She said no fuck. I kept kissing her neck and then her mouth she kept saying no fuck I was very hard and she felt it on her ass . I start sucking her big tits doing anything to get her horny and she pushes my head down to her ass I never ate ass before. I had no choice started kissing it and got my tounge in there eventually got really into it and started jerking until I came on her kitchen floor she played in my cum with her feet and then rubbed it all over my clothes I licked her feet she was so experienced she knew exactly what she was doing I stood up kissed her so hard and really just hugged her I still miss that one
Over the years I used some escort websites to find some but I never paid over 100$ I make sure when I'm talking on the phone I flirt with them calling them baby so they get interested and in person I give them a little cash and start the process quick and most of them fold cause I'm in pretty good shape or they wanna smoke some weed with me if I offer them. I've done it probably like 5 times.
Last story I was in Chicago for work not my home state . I found a black tranny online and went to her hotel. I was very high smoked right before I went to her so I was on edge very paranoid of any funny business and Chicago is a rough city.I found her in the lobby and I was surprised she kinda looked like a girl. We get to her room and I give her 40$ and try to grab her ass make her horny she denies me and tells me 200$. No way was I paying that so I just keep flirting trying to make her horny and she is hard to beat keeps touching my pockets. She had a school girl skirt on while sitting on the wall of the bed she lifts her skirt up. I see a floppy 7 inch black cock with shaved pubeses and a belly ring on a flat stomach. I slowly dive across the bed and for the first time suck a dick she knew exactly what she was doing after only 30 seconds she pushed me off and says she wants her money. I hop off the bed and my dick somehow was already out. I start jerking watching her and when she sees my big dick she starts stroking herself. Seeing her finally get horny I automatically cum. I zip up and leave cause I didn't trust this bitch and I heard something in the bathroom of the room I forgot to check. I literally came so hard across the room though she was like omg .
2024.05.19 08:12 SkipAdButton_ Does anyone know what I’m dealing with?
For a couple years now I will occasionally wake up with what I can only describe as an intense feeling of dread. It’s really hard for me to explain because I know I have no reason to feel this way but it’s like these thoughts are almost being shoved into my head. I will wake up mid-way through these emotions, never in my bed. From what I’ve heard from family members is that I will sleep walk out of my room acting paranoid before waking up and becoming inconsolable with fear. These emotions will last 3-7 minutes before they die down and stop. Does anyone know what might be causing this? Feel free to ask any questions because I know I explained this poorly.
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